Stalker
by Sincerely Tiffany
Summary: AU: As the daughter of a sergeant who wasn't above crossing the line between good and bad, she knew she was safe. No one was crazy enough to threaten her. No one was stupid enough to watch her, follow her, scare her, hurt her… no one in their right mind would do any of that...until a new student transferred in with a past as shady as the criminals her father puts away for a living.
1. My Hero

Erin Lindsay Voight smiles sweetly at an officer as he holds the door open for her to enter. It had only been two days since the last time she step foot inside the precinct, but it felt like forever. The rush of officers, the handcuffed suspects, the constant ringing of the desk phones felt like home. The busyness of the district was peace to her. As she adjusted the bag of food, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. It smelt like absolutely nothing…it was perfect. She reopened her eyes to see Sergeant Trudy Platt smirking at her, "Well, hello stranger."

"Hi Sergeant," Erin gleefully approached the front desk.

"I told you Erin. Call me Trudy."

"It's weird," Erin shrugs it off and sets the bag of food atop of the desk countertop, "That's something that'll definitely take some time getting used to."

"I've known you for basically your entire life. How long do you need?"

"…I'm 24 now. I'll at least need another 24 years."

Platt chuckles lightly at her response, "So, where've you been the last two days?" With the pen in her hand, she begins signing much needed documents as she awaits Erin's answer.

"To be honest, I locked myself in my apartment for two days mentally preparing myself for senior year of law school. This stuff," Erin bites down nervously upon her bottom lip, "it's no joke. I managed to crawl out of my hole, pick up lunch and come here," She grabs a hold of the bag she set down moments ago, "I've had to cancel lunch plans with my dad for two days…and I felt guilty so I decided to surprise him."

"He'll definitely be happy that you're here."

"I'm counting on it."

Platt lowers her hand beneath the desk, "I'll buzz you up."

The young Voight lifted the bag from atop of the countertop as she approached the gated area secluding the Intelligence Unit from the rest of the precinct. Once she heard the buzz, she used her free hand to open the gate, step through and ensure that it closed completely behind her. She's heard enough times from her father and Olinsky about the importance in making sure the gate is absolutely closed. Anyone could walk in. It was their words, not hers.

As she readjusted the bag in her arms, she ascended up the stairs. The bullpen of her father's unit wasn't usually quiet, but it wasn't noisy either. She expected to hear chatter, but the only voice she heard was Dawson. He sounded angry as his words echoed around the full room. She approached the top stair and noticed almost everyone, except her father, Ruzek and Olinsky.

"Hey Erin," Kevin, one of the newest members of Intelligence greeted her with a kind wave.

She simply nodded in his direction as she approached the desk of Jay Halstead. Erin set the bag down, and leaned against the edge of his desk, "Don't kill me."

"Please don't tell me you're canceling again?"

"I'm sorry Jay," she set her hand upon his thigh, "Classes start tomorrow and I want to study."

He was confused, "Study for what? Classes haven't started yet."

"Exactly," she sighed, lowering her voice. She didn't want for everyone else to hear, "This entire summer I didn't crack open one book. I don't want to fall behind. I need to read and review the material from last year."

"Do I have a say?"

"No…not really."

"I can't wait until you graduate."

The small smirk on her face drops at the rise of Dawson's voice. He's speaking so fast and she could only hear his side of the conversation. She pushed off of Halstead's desk and approached him even further, "What's that all about?"

"Laura wants to keep the kids for Thanksgiving."

Erin rolls her eyes, "September just started. There's plenty of time to make Thanksgiving plans."

Jay rises from his desk chair, and takes a hold of her free hands. The bag of food she brought was resting upon his semi-straightened desk. He pulls her close and wraps one arm around her lower waist, "I want to talk about us…and the next time I'll get to hang out with my girlfriend."

"How about this weekend," Her eyebrow arches as her hands fumble with the neckline of his muscle shirt, "Maybe you can come over to my apartment with some beers and we can catch a game or something."

"It's a date," he whispers.

Erin takes a quick look around. Dawson was still on the phone. Olinsky wasn't present. Atwater was on his cell phone. Mouse was on the computer. And most importantly, her father was in his office with the door shut. She used the precious seconds she had and pressed her lips against his. Voight absolutely hates public displays of affection.

"So Erin," she immediately pulls away at the sound of her name, "what's that in the bag?"

Jay irritatingly eyes Mouse for the sudden interruption as she answers, "it's food. I wanted to surprise my dad with lunch."

"Nice," Mouse nods.

"Where are Burgess and Ruzek?" Erin realizes that they're not in the bullpen. If Burgess was, she would have been greeted and approached her.

"Ruzek took her out to lunch." Atwater answers her question since no one else knew.

The 24 year old pulls out of her boyfriend's arms, grips the bag by the folded top and proceeds to her father's closed office. Her fist lightly raps at the door before she opens it right up. He's signing some type of document. And without looking up, she notices the straight-lined expression plastered against his face. An obvious stress wrinkle protruding on his forehead. He hears her walk in, "What did I tell you all about-"

"Hi dad," she interrupts him with a greeting.

Originally, he didn't know it was her. The smile that instantly pulled at his lips was an indicator that now –even though he still wasn't looking up- he knew who was present.

"Not that I'm complaining," he sits the pen down and leans back in his desk chair, "but what do I owe this surprise visit? You're not in trouble, are you?"

"Gosh dad no," her eyes roll as she sets the bag of food down in front of him, "I wanted to surprise you with lunch. I brought your favorite. I picked it up on the way here." Once her hands are free, she quietly closes his office door.

"What do you want?"

"I'm insulted," she chuckles, "All I wanted was to spend some time with my dad."

He eyes her suspiciously with the smile still remaining on his face, "You don't want any money?" She shakes her head, "You don't need me to get you out of trouble?" She shakes it again, "You're not dropping out of school, are you?"

"Nope," she opens the bag and pulls out a Styrofoam container of food, "You know dad if I wasn't so excited to see you, I would be very insulted right now." She pops open the container, "This one is yours."

He takes a hold of the container, "This," he inhales the scent, "I love you kiddo."

"If the guys out there knew just how mushy you are capable of getting they wouldn't believe it." Her voice sounds serious, but she's smiling. Erin pulls a seat up to his desk before she takes out her food, "And I love you too."

A few seconds of silence falls between them as they take their first savoring bites. It was like a bite out of heaven. The pleasure of the food against his taste buds pushed Voight into a good mood. He swallowed his second bite before looking up at his daughter, "I want to start Sunday dinners again."

She swallowed hard, "We haven't had a Sunday dinner since mom died three years ago."

"I know," his next bite is smaller, "I just figured she would want us to start those again. It's been three years. I miss them…and I truly believe it's something she would want us to continue."

"O…okay," her voice wavers in hesitance as she reluctantly agrees.

"And you can tell me all about your first week. You're a senior now." Voight reaches into the bag Erin brought and pulls out a water bottle, "I can't wait until you graduate. College campuses are not safe and I'll be happy and content once you are far away from one."

"Oh dad please," she shrugs him off with indifference, "I've made it this far."

"Just be careful and watch your back." She recognizes his words. Those are the exact words he tells her at the start of school every single year. Voight takes a sip of water and continues, "With a pretty face like yours," she begins mouthing the words along with him, "guys only want one thing and they're not getting it from you. Don't walk around campus by yourself and if you need to I want you to call someone…anyone when you are walking alone on campus at night. At parties, matter of fact, anywhere in public, never leave your drink unattended and if you do, dispose of it right away. Do you still have the pepper spray I gave you?"

"Yes I do. And I have the stun gun and the emergency kit you stored in my hallway closet. We really do not have to go over all of this again. You have drilled this into my head. Please, it wouldn't hurt to skip the rest just this one time."

He considers it…briefly. Hank wants to do her a favor and skip, but every other part of him disagrees with it. It's like an itch he must scratch. She's his only family left. He couldn't fathom the idea of anything happening to her. With a quick wave of his hand, waving her words away, he continues. Voight gives her the normal talk involving domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, parties, home invasions, and robberies, etc. It felt like it was never ending. He managed to squeeze in bites of his food with every new topic. The only thing that got Erin through it was the reminder that it's her senior year and it's the last time she'll have to hear it.

"You're not listening to me, are you?"

She blinks out of her unfocused state, "What?"

"Erin, this is serious."

"Dad, trust me," she closes her partially empty food container and sets it down upon his desk, "I know and understand how serious all of this is, but I'll be fine. No one's stupid enough to mess with me. Every criminal knows who you are. I'll be fine. Okay? I'll be fine." She stands and walks around her father's desk. The young Voight gave her dad a quick, sideways hug, "And if anyone even thinks of messing with me, I'll send them to you and you can put them in the cage."

"Yeah, I just hope it never gets to that."

"It won't," she pecks her father's head, "Now can we talk about something that's much happier and lighter? This topic is too depressing."

"Yeah," he agrees and leans back in his seat, "How are you and Halstead?"

"…we're so not talking about that." Her raspy voice chuckles as she heads back to her previous seat, "We can talk about any and everything else but my boyfriend."

"Is he treating you good?"

"Dad-"

"What?" The rasp in his voice is even higher, "A dad gets to ask especially when the dad is the boss of the boyfriend."

"He was my boyfriend before you were his boss. You can't hold that over me."

"Is he treating you good?" Voight doesn't respond to her. He simply asks his question again.

"…of course. You know I won't be with someone who didn't. You raised me to be strong and not tolerate bullshit. You and mom set an example on what I want in a relationship…and I think Jay is it."

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves now. You're 24 and Jay is a year older. You both have time."

"You and mom married when you were younger than me and Jay."

"Well times were different back then…" Voight's eyebrow suspiciously raises, "Wait. Erin, did Jay propose to you?"

Erin grabs her food container and reopens it. Her meal was still warm. She adjusted herself in the uncomfortable seat, and crossed her legs, "No dad, he didn't propose. We're not ready for that step yet, but I can see myself being with him. I know that he'll be the guy I marry...eventually."

"You're right," Voight takes a final bite, "Let's talk about something other than your boyfriend."

She picks through her food. The amount of food she was given exceeded the space in her small stomach. Erin takes one last bite before closing the box, "Where's Al?"

"He's following up on a lead."

"Is it a bad case?"

Voight breaks eye contact, "They're all bad cases."

"You know what I mean…"

"I'll just be happy when it's solved." As the words left his mouth, his cell phone started ringing. He sent his daughter an apologetic frown as he answered it, "Hello."

The youngest Voight notices the look on her father's face. Whatever someone was telling him wasn't good. Her dad muttered a profane word and slammed his hand down upon his desk. She knew…lunch was over. It would have to be cut short today. Erin rises to her feet, opens the empty food bag and begins cleaning up the mess they made on his desk. He sends her another apologetic look as he watches her clean up their lunch.

Erin didn't mind. She was used to it. On most nights it would just be her and her mom. Other nights when he did join them, he was usually called away in the middle of whatever they were doing. Her mother didn't mind. She would always tell Erin that everyone wasn't born like them. There are actually bad people out in the world. The Voights never tried to hide their daughter from the truth. This world was filled with good and bad people. She heard her father hang up his phone and stand up, "Sorry kid, I got to-"

"It's okay," she nods.

Hank still feels bad. He pats her cheek, "I'll make it up to you at Sunday dinner."

"Dad, it's completely fine. It really is okay." She gives him a dimpled grin, "You're just doing your job and you're making a difference. You're putting the bad people away. You never have to apologize for being called away for a case. I have to go to the library anyway."

Hank loved that little girl of his. He pressed a kiss against her forehead, grabbed his leather jacket draped around the back of the chair and departed from his office. He closed the door behind him, leaving Erin to clean up the remainder of their lunch. The young Voight opened her father's mini-fridge and placed her leftovers inside. He'll probably have a long night since he's now officially working two cases. He could have her food since he seemed to enjoy it way more than she did. The young law student collected the remainder of the trash, opened her father's office door and noticed the silence of the bullpen. She only saw Mouse and he was speedily typing away on his work computer. Without bothering him, she walked pass him, down the stairs, out of the gate and through the congestion of the precinct. Erin discarded the trash into the outside trashcan.

It was a chilly day. Erin jogged towards her car. She still had around half an hour left on the meter. She hopped into her car, rubbed her cold hands together to create heated friction, before buckling her seat belt. It was Sunday. She was going to spend a few hours in the library, head home to prepare for the first day of classes tomorrow and then hope the week won't be as busy and crazy as she predicts it to be. This Saturday she has date night with Jay and Sunday she has dinner with her dad. She plans on keeping her word with them. Regardless of how much work she's assigned, she won't be cancelling on them.

As she pulls out of her parallel parking spot, and merged into the light traffic, she increased the volume of the radio. Lindsay's fingers drummed lightly against her steering wheel to the beat of the song. She abided by every traffic law, paused briefly at stop signs, slowed down at yellow lights and maintained the speed limit. Her dad drilled all of that into her head when she was young. After her rebellious teenage phase, involving bad company –Annie, Landon and Charlie- and bad deeds –skipping school, drugs and alcohol-, her parents had decided to tighten the rules of the house and the privileges she was given. When she first started driving her dad had told her that if she got into one accident or received a speeding ticket, he would revoke her driving privileges. If she received bad grades in school, her phone privileges would be taken away. It quickly got her on the path. For every bad deed there was a bad consequence and the same vice versa for every good deed. It whipped her right into shape and now she was in the habit of abiding by traffic laws and maintaining good grades.

There are plenty of empty parking spaces in the lot. Not many people had the idea to go out and study in preparation for school tomorrow. The first space she arrived to, she parked, shut off her ignition and unbuckled her seatbelt. Erin reached over to the passenger seat, grabbed her backpack and stepped out. Fortunately it was the afternoon; the parking lot was poorly lit at night so she tried to always get her studying in during the day. She pressed down upon the button on her key chain several times to ensure that her car doors were locked. After wiggling the handle, she began heading towards the crosswalk. With a protective father like Voight, a pseudo uncle like Olinsky, and knowing most of the district's cops since she was a kid, safety measures were drilled into her head at a young age.

When the lighted sign turned to walk, she gripped her backpack strap tighter and began crossing. The light only gave pedestrians ten measly seconds to cross a two way street. It was ridiculous. No one could walk that in the allotted time. Erin managed to make it pass each car lane before the light turned green, but as her foot stepped down into the bicycle lane, she felt an arm tug her forwards. She loses her footing. She stumbles into the open arms of a waiting man. As she looks back, she sees a man wave his head in apology as he bicycled pass.

"Asshole," she mutters under her breath.

The arms that caught and straightened Erin's balance was still wrapped around her. He steadied her…and the moment she looked up, she was met with a bright toothy grin that stretched up to his brown eyes. He pulls her gently onto the sidewalk before releasing her from his arms. She readjusts her backpack strap over her shoulder, "My hero," she grins genuinely, "Thank you."

"It was my um," he scratches the back of his head, "my pleasure."

"You have pretty quick reflexes."

"I uh…I went um…to a lot of uh…little league baseball games as an um… child."

She can tell he's flustered, "I'm Erin Voight," she extends her hand, but he doesn't extend his in return, "And you are?"

"Oh," he nervously reaches out and gives her a dead fish handshake, "Tucker Rhodes. I'm new here." He swallows his fear and confidently speaks, "It's my last year of law school. I officially start tomorrow."

Erin is kind. She's smiling as their hands separate, "This is my last year too. I can't wait to graduate. Where are you from Tucker?"

"Indiana," he murmurs his response, "I'm 27. I took a few years off."

"There's nothing wrong with that." She was curious as to why but the two just met. It wasn't any of her business. As a silence fell between the two, Erin chooses to speak, "I should go. I need to get a start on studying. Maybe we'll see each other around…"

"I hope," he whispers as he watches her turn and continue towards the library.

Tucker stands silently on the sidewalk, hands stuffed into his pocket as he rocks back and forth on his feet. He watches her walk away and the only time he loses sight of her is when she enters the campus library. Leaving his small town in Indiana was a big step, especially when he decided to move to Chicago, a much bigger city. She was the first person he met in person since his arrival today. She didn't shun him. She wasn't mean to him. She looked him in his eyes, smiled at him occasionally and even referred to him as her hero. Living in Chicago was definitely looking to be permanent. He was someone's hero. He was her hero.


	2. Joined At The Hip

It's Monday. It's the first day of classes, and it's her last class of the day. Mentally, Erin was checked out. She was already over this semester. She was over the coursework, her professors and just about every aspect of law school. Erin was ready to graduate and get started on her career goals. As she sits in the middle row of the auditorium, she taps her pen against the desk. This was a fifty minute class…that's all. She just needed to sit through it for fifty minutes. This teacher received great ratings so hopefully it'll be one less painful class she found herself enrolled in. As more students began to flood in, she bites down upon the cap of her pen, "Erin!" She hears her name called out, and after scanning the front of the class, she spots him by the door. It's Tucker. He begins excusing himself through the cluster of people.

"Is that seat taken?" He points to the empty desk next to her.

She removes her purse from it, "No."

"Do you remember me?" He sits his backpack down atop of the desk, "It's your hero," he's grinning madly as he takes a seat.

Erin chuckles, "I sure do." She finds him funny and interesting, "I couldn't possibly forget the guy who saved me from a few bumps and bruises."

Tucker finds content in that. She remembered him. She remembered him as her hero. That was the nickname she gave him. He was her rescuer. She liked and respected him because he was there for her. He was there to pull her out of the way of that oncoming bicycle.

"Hey," he turns his body to face her and notices her lower the pen from her mouth, "As you know, I'm new here and you're a local and you're kind of the only person I really know. I was actually wondering whether you would be kind enough to give me a tour?"

"Of the school?" She sits up straight, "You know they offer tours here."

"…not of the school…of the city…of Chicago," He was flustered.

Erin was definitely interesting. She didn't get flustered or embarrassed. She was strong-willed, confident and always together. Lindsay actually found his nervousness interesting. She found Tucker, in general, interesting. He was definitely a different kind of person.

"This is a pretty big city," she eyes the clock. Class starts in five minutes.

"I just want to see parts of downtown. Maybe you can show me some of the best hangout spots and food places…I'm free Saturday."

"I'm busy Saturday night."

"What about Saturday morning?" He was persistent.

Lindsay found him even more interesting than she did just a few minutes ago. One second he's nervous, could barely say a sentence or hold eye contact with her and the next he's outspoken, wants to sit next to her, make plans and persistently insist on having those plans be carried out. Erin's fingers brush gently across her bottom lip. She's thinking. A small smile pulls at the corners of her lips, "Why not? You helped my ass out yesterday. It's the least I could do."

"Saturday morning, what do you say around ten?"

"That's fine," Erin sits up straight and drops her hands. She intertwines her fingers together and rests them against the center of the desk, "Where's the teacher? Class starts in one minute."

"What are you doing Saturday night?"

"…I'm busy." She doesn't turn to look at him. Her eyes are eyeing the classroom door, waiting for it to open and the professor to walk through.

"Doing what?" She squints her eyes suspiciously and he decides to clarify, "You said you weren't free on Saturday night."

"I made plans with my boyfriend."

He falls quiet. His silence actually pulls her in. She's curious. From the look on his face it seemed like he had something else to say. She could read people. It was a skill she picked up from her father. It wasn't as perfected as his, but it was on its way there.

"Cat got your tongue," She quirks a brow.

Tucker is seconds from responding. She was his friend. They've known each other for a whole 24 hours and she has yet to run for the hills. That says something…that says a lot. As he opens his mouth preparing to speak, the door quickly opens and shuts as the teacher rushes into the classroom. He sets his briefcase down, grabs a piece of chalk and turns to write down the name of the class onto the board. It was time to start this course and get these next 50 minutes out of the way. Once the day is over, she can go back to her apartment, send a quick text to her dad to let him know she's safe at home, and then fall asleep.

Erin tuned back into the teacher's speech and realized he was providing the class with a long introduction about his life, his passion, and the law he practices. She zoned back out. She was completely over the introductions. Her cell phone rested at the corner of her desk, and the small screen lit up, earning the curious eyes of Tucker. She pulled the device closer and scanned the brief text from her father. He wanted to know whether she made it to her last class safe. Her eyes rolled. She's an adult. She's 24. She lives on her own, she has a job lined up for herself after graduation, she has her own car and she's in a long-term relationship. Voight didn't need to keep checking in with her. It's ridiculous. She has to send him text updates every few hours.

"Is everything okay?" She heard Tucker whisper next to her.

Lindsay unlocked her phone, "Yeah, my dad's just a worry wart. I got it as a child. I'm a kid, he's my dad, it makes sense for him to constantly check up on me and want to know where I am…then, but now, I'm an adult. I should earn some privacy, right?"

"Yeah," Tucker turned his body to face her. He was more absorbed by the distress and frustration than he was in the professor's lecture. He eyed her lit phone screen, "maybe you should tell him that. You're an adult Erin. You're a big girl. You deserve to have your privacy. You deserve to have secrets. You don't need your dad's approval."

She's looking at him. The teacher's voice is a distant tone in her subconscious. He was currently going over the syllabus for the semester. She could do that on her own. Erin's left thumb rested against her bottom lip, and she began to nervously chew upon it. It was a habit she definitely needed to break. Lindsay pulled her hand away, "That's easier said than done Tucker."

"It can't be that hard."

She chuckles lowly, "You obviously don't know my dad."

"I mean…I get he's a cop-"

"How did you know that?"

Tucker immediately realizes the mistake. He's speaking before his brain can process what he should and shouldn't mention. The 27 year old shrugs in indifference, "You told me yesterday."

"I did…" She's hesitant. Erin knows he has no reason to lie, but she doesn't recall mentioning her father, or anyone to Tucker. They had a brief conversation. Her father didn't come up.

"Yeah, it was a brief mention."

Erin looks down at her phone, "Oh…okay."

Tucker sighs in relief. He could read the hesitance on her face and finds comfort in knowing that despite the skepticism she chose to believe him. In fact, it was after she disappeared into the library that he pulled out his cell phone and googled her name. Hank Voight, Sergeant of the Intelligence Unit at District 21 popped up. There wasn't much information about her, but the internet gave a nice amount of information on her father. His wife, Erin's mother, died of cancer three years ago. Her father –even as a law enforcement officer- had gotten into some trouble with the law. From his picture, he didn't look like the nicest man. Tucker didn't understand how a man with Hank Voight's track record managed to raise a daughter like Erin. She was perfect while Hank was flawed. She was nice while her father seemed rough around the edges.

The 27 year old focused back on Erin, but she was invested in what the teacher was saying. He was summarizing the last section on the syllabus. Tucker nudged her, "Did you text your dad?"

"I told him I was safe and in class."

"Are you going to tell him?"

She nods, "I am…eventually, but that's more of an in person conversation."

"I can come with you if you need the support."

This immediately pulls in her attention. Tucker, the guy she just met 24 hours ago, wanted to come with her to face her father who she knew good and well would not be happy. He obviously knows nothing about Hank Voight; otherwise, he would be running for the hills. Her dad can only get so mad at her, but other people, especially strangers, her dad couldn't care less about.

"…because I like you, I'm going to pass on you coming with me. You don't deserve the wrath of Hank Voight when I tell him no."

Tucker is speechless. His brain goes blank. He doesn't register as the professor concludes class. He can't process everyone packing up their bags and slowly leaving the classroom. Tucker briefly forgets his name, everything about him, how old he is, what he does; where he came from…he completely blanked out at Erin's words. She likes him. She likes him! Those words…those exact words came out of her mouth followed by a small smile. She wasn't afraid of him. She wasn't weirded out by his presence. She actually liked him, and because she did, she wanted to shield him from her dad. The dad that he read about, the one he knows is not above breaking the law, she wants to protect him.

"…Hey," She's holding a book in one arm and her purse in the other, "Are you staying in here?"

He blinks out of his reverie in order to focus on the angelic voice of Erin Voight. He's still speechless. He doesn't trust himself right now. He thinks if he speaks his voice will crack.

"I…uh, I'm um, no, I'm leaving."

Lindsay waves for him to stand up, "Well come on." She chuckles.

Within seconds, Tucker hops to his feet. He's clumsy in his attempt to get up and begins knocking his books over. She laughs as he scrambles to pick them up, muttering apologies to her as he tries to get himself together. She likes him.

"I'm sorry," he fans himself, "Is it hot in here?" He's looking around as he shoves his books into his backpack, "I'm hot, are you hot? Of course you're hot. I mean, hot as in temperature…I'm not saying that you're not hot though because you are, and now I sound stupid and you probably want nothing to do with me. You don't have to wait for me. I understand if you want to leave. I have a way of making people leave. You can leave."

"Tucker!" Erin interrupts, both of her eyes widening, "You're rambling. I'm not trying to fluster you or anything; I just figured we can walk out together."

"I would love that."

Erin chose to purposely overlook his rambling. It literally came out of nowhere for her. She wasn't expecting it…and a part of her wished she could read his mind to see what he's thinking. She has a feeling that his thoughts would entertain her.

"This semester is going to kick my butt," he says as the two walk down the auditorium stairs.

Lindsay nods, "Yours and mine both."

"We should do something this week to make sure we're stress-free. We don't want to get too overwhelmed. It'll only make us crazy."

"Something like what?"

He jogs in front of her to hold the auditorium door opened for her, "…maybe a movie or dinner or we can just hang out."

"Tucker, I don't mean to sound blunt or ignorant, but are you asking me out?"

She had a boyfriend. It wasn't the time. Erin and her boyfriend needed to break up first before the two of them could act on their emotions.

"I'm asking you out just as friends."

Her shoulders loosen, and she sighs in relief, "Oh thank goodness because I didn't want to make it awkward by turning you down. I'm in a relationship…and it would have just been weird if-" She stops herself. She was rambling now.

The two walked down the building's hallway as they approached the exit. Tucker already convinced himself internally to walk Erin to her car. There were a lot of bad people out in the world. He didn't want…he couldn't bear the thought of one of them hurting her, taking that beautiful smile off of her face, or worse, taking her completely away from him permanently.

"You know you don't have to walk me to my car," he rushes to hold the entrance door open for her, "I can get there just fine."

"I'm already walking in that direction."

"Oh, did you park in the same parking lot?"

"No," Tucker blushes for some unknown reason, "my car is in the shop and that's the direction towards the train station."

"You catch the train home?"

He nods embarrassingly, "…the train and two buses."

"Where do you live?" She pulls out her car keys, "I'll give you a ride home."

"That's not necessary, really. I don't want to pull you out of your way. It's not the best neighborhood and-"

"Tucker it's really not an inconvenience."

"How about this?"

She leans her back against her car door, and folds her arms across her chest, "I'm listening."

"You live about a five minute walk from my second bus stop. You go home; I ride with you and take the one bus to my home."

"You would rather do all of that instead of me driving you home?"

"I'm embarrassed."

Tucker had to impress her. The look of his apartment, the neighborhood he resides in, and the mood on the streets would do the complete opposite. He didn't mind telling her the truth. Girls like it when guys are honest. And he was embarrassed.

"Fine," she unlocked the doors, "hop inside. I guess it wouldn't hurt to carpool until your car is out of the shop."

He happily obliged and opened the passenger seat door, "I think this is the start of a beautiful relationship." She chuckles as she buckles her seatbelt, "I have a question."

"I may possibly have an answer." She turns to look at him before starting the ignition.

"What are your plans for today?"

Erin turned forward, and set the car in drive. She pulled through the parking space and drove to the exit of the parking garage. Lindsay turned on her turn signal as she waited patiently to merge into traffic, "I'm…I think I'm going to go home and stay inside for the rest of the night."

"Who's joining you?"

"I think I actually want to be alone…I want to enjoy the peace and quiet."

"What are you doing tomorrow after classes?"

Lindsay pulled out into traffic, "I'm not sure yet. I'm more of a last minute planner."

"How about I come over tomorrow night and we can plan the sights we're going to see on Saturday? We can order some pizza, my treat."

"I'm not the type of person to turn down food, especially when it's free."

A Cheshire grin slowly stretches out across his face, "Free pizza, free drinks and free dessert if you want…it's my entire treat. Think of it as a thank you for giving up your Saturday morning to show me around this lovely city."

"Deal, tomorrow night, be at my place at six pm." Her fingers drummed against the steering wheel as she turned onto the highway, "You already know where it's at."

"I sure do."

Instead of the normal smile displayed upon Erin's lips, there's a blank face. She turns to glance at Tucker. He's grinning…and she's confused.

"What? Cat got your tongue." He repeated her words from earlier.

"This is probably nothing, but how do you know where I live?"

"I don't know the apartment number," he waves off, "but I know the complex. You mentioned it to me yesterday."

"I did?"

"What other way would I know," the smile on his face is tense. It's hard. He's avoiding eye contact as he stares out of the passenger side window.

"It was such a brief conversation."

"Well you said it," he reminds her.

"I need to start remembering what I say to people."

Tucker's shoulders relax as she drops the subject. Twice he almost got caught. After she went into the library, he had waited. He had waited until she came out, and he followed her home. His car wasn't in the shop, and he used it to trail behind her. He saw her apartment complex and he saw which apartment was hers. She lived alone. He sat outside in his car. No one visited her at least while he was there.

"What are you doing Wednesday?"

"I'm lousy at making plans. I don't make plans 24 hours from today, so I definitely don't for 48 hours. I'll probably visit my dad or something after class. Nothing is set in stone just yet."

"What about Wednesday night? Maybe I can come over with a movie, we can order some take out…it's my treat."

"You're going to get me fat. You are fully aware that I can't pass up free food."

"It's free food and a movie."

"No lousy romance movies!"

"Deal," he nods, excitedly in his seat.

Erin merges into the far right lane in order to turn off at her exit. She honked her horn following the turn off at the exit when some idiot swerved in front of her.

"What are you doing Thursday?"

She squints, "Are you trying to flood my week?"

"Answer the question," he whispers lightly, as the confidence from her accepting his Tuesday and Wednesday night ideas shined through the tone in his voice.

"From all of this free food, I'll probably go jogging. My boyfriend jogs once or twice a week at night. I may join him to work off all of this food we're planning on eating."

"Can you cancel?"

"Nothing is set in stone."

"You should cancel. I have a great idea."

"It depends on your idea of great."

Tucker was confident. His hands were clasped together over his lap, "We can go out clubbing…or miniature golfing…or maybe catch a movie at the theater…or see a play."

"Whoa, slow down there buddy," one hand leaves the steering wheel so she could calmly pat his shoulder, "It's just the first week. We have time."

"I'm sorry. It's just, I don't know anyone else here…and I'm lousy at making friends. I never really had friends as a child. I never hung out with people because no one could stand to be near me. I'm stupid at this, aren't I?"

"You just come off a little strong."

Lindsay saw her complex a few blocks away. Her building was taller than most, but not extremely tall. One could spot it four blocks away.

"I understand if you want to cancel our plans."

"No, of course I don't want to cancel. How about on Thursday I take you to one of my favorite restaurants? And it'll be my treat."

"I like the sound of that."

Erin pulls into her reserved parking space, and sets the vehicle in park, "This is the most planning I have ever done. I'm on the fourth floor. I'm room 4A."

"I'll see you tomorrow." Tucker unbuckles his seatbelt and opens the car door. After one foot touches the ground, he hesitates. He wants to ask her, but he doesn't know how she'll react.

Lindsay can read him. She sees the nervousness and hesitance on his face. She unbuckles her seat belt and turns to face him, "What do you want to ask me?"

"What are you doing Friday?"

"…really Tucker," she rolls her eyes jokingly, "We've only known each other for 24 hours and we're practically already joined at the hip."

"Make my first week a good one. Please," His bottom lip pokes out.

She sighs, "Alright, what do you want to do?"

"I'll come up with something."

Tucker grins madly. He extends his arm over the seat and pulls her into a quick hug. It was brief. He purposefully kept it short just in case she had the bright idea to pull away. He hopped out of her car, leaving her in stunned silence, as he began walking in the direction of the bus stop. This bus went the opposite way of his house, but he didn't mind taking an extra bus if it meant he could start riding with Erin. She had agreed to four dates with him in one week. He was definitely going to win the girl in the end.


	3. Closer and Closer

_Tuesday_

Tucker does in fact arrive at six pm on the dot. He wasn't a second early or a second late. His free hand rapped against the white wooden door as he balanced the pizza, the drinks and the dessert he picked up. Tucker picked up an entire cheesecake. It was her favorite. After he made it home yesterday, he spent the day finding her on social media, he followed her on Twitter and Instagram, and he sent her a friend request on Facebook. He was patiently waiting for her to accept it. They were friends. He wrote off her delayed acceptance to the fact that she was probably busy.

Erin was definitely hungry by the time Tucker arrived. She let him in and led him to the two empty barstools. Before he could take a seat, she takes the food from him; pops open the box and grab a slice of pizza. She loved food. It was amazing.

"You always hear that a way to a man's heart is through his stomach, but I literally think that's the way to mine," she chuckles as she devours her first slice.

Lindsay worked out enough with either her dad, her boyfriend or Burgess to be able to keep off the extra pounds that stressful binge eating gained her. Tucker enjoys himself. As Erin eats her second slice, he's politely eating his first. He tries to be a gentleman. It's the way to win over any woman's heart. It's what his father has always told him.

"I wanted to have a list prepared by the time you got here, but I'm such a procrastinator. Sometimes it takes me a whole day to get nothing done." Erin opens the bag and pulls out a beer.

He shakes his head when she grabs a beer for him, "No thank you. I don't drink…I'm kind of a recovering alcoholic."

"…kind of? You either are a recovering alcoholic or you're not."

"I am a recovering alcoholic."

"You're strong for turning it down. You got this." She pats his back gently, before hopping off of the barstool. The young Voight walks around the counter and into the kitchen to place the rest of the pack of beer into the fridge, "I guess I should start jotting down some places to check out."

"We can always do it after we eat."

"…now is fine."

"I brought cheesecake," he pulled it out of the bag.

"Oh my gosh," she rushed up to the counter and leaned over it to grab the platter, "This is my favorite…How…how did you know? And don't say I mentioned it to you on Sunday because this is definitely not a first conversation topic." Erin pulls open the lid and smiles at the already cut slices, "So, how did you know?"

"I actually took a guess. It's my favorite too. You know what they say, great minds think alike."

Erin couldn't contain the smile. She was definitely feeling spoiled. The 24 year old grabbed a saucer from the cabinet and set it upon the counter, "I should really limit myself. One slice tonight…one slice every other night…who am I kidding? I have no self-control."

Tucker sits back. He's enjoying seeing her in her natural element. She's comfortable. She's relaxed. Erin's not as tense or cautious like she was yesterday. He was growing on her. It had only been 48 hours, but he definitely felt like he was easing his way into her heart.

"We can type the list out on my phone," From the kitchen, Erin points at her cell sitting upon the end table in the living room, "Can you grab it?"

"I can type it while you eat your cake."

"Thanks. I'll finish typing it the second I'm done." Erin scoops the first bite into her mouth. The sweet and savory flavor causes her to close her eyes temporarily and take a deep breath. She didn't like to buy sweets too often. She hardly ever brought dessert. Every once in a while she would treat herself, but it was mostly once a month if she has an ounce of restraint and once a week if she didn't.

"I'll need your password. It's locked."

Erin swallowed the second bite, "It's Camille."

"Who's Camille?"

"…my mother."

Tucker types it onto the phone screen and he smiles as access is granted. However, the second his eyes registered her background photo, the smile faltered for a few seconds before dropping completely. Erin's wallpaper photo was of her and another guy, smiling brightly as they took a selfie. She was focused on the camera, but the guy's eyes were focused on her.

"Is everything okay?" She asks before taking the next bite.

"Yeah, yeah," he swipes to the notes and selects the app, "I was just looking for an app to type the list. I chose the notes. I figured that would be a pretty good and efficient one."

 _Wednesday_

As Erin and Tucker are sitting on the couch, watching the horror film he brought over, he's disappointed. Every jump scare he waited…patiently, for her to turn to him, grab him, jump on his lap, hide behind him, something. That's how it's supposed to be between a girl and a guy spending time together. However Erin didn't do any of that…at least not with him.

The throw pillows on her couch were used to comfort her. Every creaking step the protagonist made as the bad guy followed her, she hid her face behind the pillow. When she felt a scream coming on, she muffled it with the pillow. As anticipation during the film built, she squeezed it out on the pillow. He was there for that…he was there for all of that. She was supposed to use him, not some inanimate object.

Tucker stares down at the open containers of takeout food. They had decided to order Chinese food for their Wednesday night dinner. He had wanted to order a little bit of everything so they could share but she insisted on having her own. She didn't want to share a carton of food with him. She thought it would be inappropriate. Tucker had to roll his eyes at that. He was learning something new about Erin every single day.

Erin had wanted to visit her dad today, but after carpooling to and from school with Tucker, participating in class, going for a quick jog after school, and showering once she got home, she was exhausted. She sent her dad an apologetic text for cancelling. He was disappointed, but the case the team was currently working on had most of their attention anyway. If she did come, he would have been too busy to give her his undivided attention.

Lindsay's hands unclenched the pillow as the credits began to roll. She sighed in relief. She was glad that movie was over. She usually only watched horror films with Jay because he was there for her to cuddle into. She ruled out romantics with Tucker. She had completely forgotten about horrors. When the television screen goes black, she realizes just how dark it is outside. Within seconds of her realization, the lights turn on.

"That was a good movie." Tucker comments, heading back over to the couch.

Erin shrugs, "It was alright."

"You were terrified."

"…no I wasn't."

"Your face was practically pale when that guy stared at the girl through the window."

"It was not."

"So, you wouldn't think it's scary if someone stood outside your window?"

"I'm on the fourth floor. I would like to see them try."

Tucker nods silently as he eyes the balcony. Just because you're on the fourth floor don't mean a very persistent someone wouldn't stand outside and watch. It was very possible. It may even be a distant reality. Tucker snaps out of his thoughts to see her cleaning up their food cartons, "I can help. What do you need me to do?"

"Oh that's okay. You paid for it. This is the least I can do. Besides, it's my place."

"So Erin," she's focused on cleaning, but she nods to let him know that she's listening, "what do you like to do in your free time?"

"Uh, I hate questions like that," she whispers, tossing the cartons into the carryout bag, "I can never think of what I like to do. It's weird. I do what I like to do, but when put on the spot I can never remember everything I like to do."

"Fine, what's one thing that you enjoy doing?"

"…one thing, mmm, okay, I enjoy jogging."

"…with your boyfriend?" Tucker pushes for understanding.

"Sometimes," Erin shrugs, stuffing the trash into the trashcan, "if it's at night, it's with him. If some maniac doesn't kill me then my dad will. I could never go jogging by myself at night. If he ever found out, I would never hear the end of it."

"You really care about what your dad thinks."

"He's my father. It's not really caring about what he thinks. It's more respecting his opinion, especially with this type of stuff…he knows what he's talking about."

The 27 year old is scratching at the back of his neck. There's a sparkle behind his eyes. He likes seeing her in comfortable clothing. Erin's in sweatpants and a sweatshirt. Not an ounce of skin is showing…he likes her modesty. Tucker notices her catch his eye and he focuses back on their last conversation, "Your dad can't know everything."

"I didn't say that. I know he doesn't know everything, but he knows about the streets. He knows about the crime and the bad people. I trust him on this type of stuff. I may be stubborn, but I'm not that stubborn."

She takes a look up at the clock sitting upon the bookshelf. Time has definitely flown by. She ties the trash bag and sets it by the door, "It's getting late Tucker."

"That's my hint to leave. I can take the trash out with me. I wouldn't mind."

"I don't want you to-"

"It's okay, really. You've been giving me a ride to and from school. I can walk a bag of trash to the dumpster. It's no big deal."

"Well, when you put it like that," she opens the front door, her back to him, as she waves at her neighbor walking pass, "thanks Tucker. I'll see you bright and early in the morning for carpool."

Seconds after Erin turns back around, she feels his arms thrown around her. He's holding her in an embrace, and he signs into the one-sided hug. Her arms are still at her side, "I'll see you tomorrow Tucker." She worms her way out of the hug.

 _Thursday_

After dinner at one of Erin's favorite pizza restaurants, she brings Tucker with her to the club. She's supposed to be meeting Burgess and Atwater. As the club fills with people, and the music blasts louder, she spots Atwater dancing with her best friend.

"Kim," Erin attempts to shout over the music. She grabs Tucker's arm and pulls him through the crowd. He was definitely not used to this many people. Erin approaches her friend from behind, "Kimberly," she taps Burgess' shoulder.

"You made it!" Kim turns around and pulls Erin into a hug.

"You said you had good news. I am in desperate need of good news. Tell me!"

"Ruzek asked me to move in with him!"

Erin knew how much those two care about each other. She also knew –from Jay- that Ruzek was planning to ask Burgess to move in with him and he was mentally freaking out. The second she learned of his plan, she knew her friend would say yes. Burgess was just as in love with him as he was with her.

"That's great Kim!" Erin squeezes her shoulder.

"Is this a good idea?" Atwater's voice is loud, yet nervous.

"Of course, Ruzek and I will be-"

"Not that," he interrupts, eyeing Lindsay uneasily, "I mean, is us out clubbing a good idea? I don't think it's appropriate for us to hang out with the boss's daughter."

"Why not?" Kim turns to face him. Her arms crossed over her chest, "Jay's the one that should be nervous. He's the one screwing her."

Erin smacks her shoulder, "Hey!" She quiets Kim and rolls her eyes at Atwater's concerned comment, "…relax, it's fine."

"You could get me fired…or demoted."

"Why would I do that? I came here to have a good time, not babysit you and snitch to my dad the moment you screw up or make me feel uncomfortable. Relax Atwater. Just chill out."

It was inevitable. Tucker felt someone bump into him from behind causing him to bump gently into Erin. He was actually surprised he wasn't bumped sooner. This club had people basically shoulder to shoulder. The moment his shoulder brushed against her back, she remembered. She wasn't here alone. Erin clasped her hands together, and turned to face him, "Guys this is Tucker. We're in law school together. Tucker, this is my best friend Kim," she points at Burgess, "and this is Kevin," she nods at Atwater, "they both work with my dad."

He masks his frown with a smile. The day started off good. They went out to Erin's favorite restaurant and she received a text seconds after the dinner ended. She asked him whether or not he wanted to end the night early, he didn't, and now he's here. He didn't think they would end the night with other people…with her so-called friends. At the restaurant, he learned a satisfactory amount about her. She's extremely allergic to tree nuts. She's never had a traffic ticket. She takes weekend Zumba classes once every two weeks with her best friend. She has been in a relationship with her boyfriend for the last seven years. She went through a rebellious phase as a teenager. With her, it was small things to share or mention, but to him, those pieces of information meant everything. Those things are what make Erin Voight herself.

"I want a drink," Burgess shouts over the music, "Atwater is driving me home."

"If you want a drink, you can get one," Tucker tells Erin, reading the temptation on her face, "I can be your designated driver."

She enthusiastically pats his shoulder, "You're the best!"

Erin had managed to organize her schedule to not have Friday classes. Technically Thursdays were her Fridays, and after this hell week, she deserved to let loose and have a few drinks. It wouldn't hurt. She had nowhere to be in the morning. She could sleep in for as long as she wanted. With her free Friday, she may surprise her father with a lunch visit. Or she may surprise her boyfriend since he's off tomorrow.

Burgess and Lindsay enjoyed their first drink, then their second and the third drink that followed. It was Ladies' Night. The girls got selected drinks half off. As the two friends danced upon the floor, Tucker stood. He was the only body on the dance floor that wasn't moving. Atwater watched the girls and Tucker from his booth. He didn't understand the guy, but Kevin just waved it off as shyness. He definitely felt Tucker needed a drink to loosen up.

"Hey, want another drink?" Tucker shouted over the music, "…my treat."

"Does the offer extend to me too?" Burgess responded before Erin had the chance.

Tucker had to make a good impression in front of her slightly tipsy friend. Erin looked to be handling her drinks well.

"…of course!"

"Then I'm answering for Erin, that's a yes!"

Erin doesn't respond so he takes her silence as a yes. Tucker disappeared as the two girls walked over to Atwater in order to pull him onto the dance floor. He was stiff. He still felt uncomfortable. Atwater wanted to loosen up and dance, but Erin was watching.

"Kevin, seriously, you're killing the mood."

"I'm sorry Erin," he apologizes quickly, eyes wide in worry, "I can't get over the fact that you're Voight's daughter…and you have his eyes, and when you look at me it feels like he's looking at me…and judging me."

"Now that you mentioned it," Kim stops dancing. She stares at Lindsay and tilts her head slowly, "I can definitely see big Voight in little Voight."

"Can we not talk about my dad while I'm trying to have fun at a nightclub?"

Kim was able to get over it quick, but Atwater remained still. He couldn't dance on the dancefloor. He couldn't move around. It was impossible for him to have any fun. A few minutes later, Tucker came back with two drinks. He handed one to Burgess, and her slightly intoxicated state spilled some onto Atwater's shirt. The other drink was handed to Erin, and within seconds, she chugged it down until there was no drop left.

The night progresses wildly. Seconds turned to minutes and minutes eventually turned into hours. Erin feels her body soaked in sweat as she dances to song after song. There's a euphoric rush in her body. She's out of breath but she wants to keep dancing. The strobe lights begin flashing quicker and quicker as the beat of the song speeds up. Tucker is watching from their booth. She doesn't notice as she and Burgess continue to dance.

Tucker patiently waited off to the side. He slipped something into her drink. It wasn't anything deadly or intense…it was just something to make her tired. He was ready to leave. This could be his scene, just not with her added friends. He could wait for the crushed pill to enter her bloodstream and dominate her body. Erin grabs onto Kim's wrist, "I think it's definitely time for me to go home." Burgess guided her off of the dance floor with Atwater following nervously behind, "Shoot me a text in the morning."

"…if I remember," Erin mutters, as Kim passes her off to Tucker.

"You've had a lot to drink," Tucker held her wobbly form up.

"I'm usually good at holding my alcohol…maybe it's because I haven't been going out much lately." She grabs onto his arm and allows him to lead her through the crowd.

Seconds into the ride, Erin falls asleep. From the motion of the car, and the unknowing effects of her spiked drink, she was out the moment Tucker started driving. Once he pulls into her reserved parking space, he doesn't wake her. She looks too peaceful. Tucker hops out, picks her up from the passenger seat, closes the door and locks it. He carries her up the stairs, adjusts her body thrown over his shoulder as he fumbles through her keys.

Tucker lets himself into her apartment. He kicks the door shut behind him as he carries her into her bedroom. It was his first time seeing it. It was neat and put together just like the rest of her place. Tucker gently lays her down, pulls the covers back, and shuffles her underneath. He tugs off her high heels before pulling the covers back over her body. He takes this moment to watch her. He didn't know when the opportunity would present itself again. The 27 year old takes a seat at the edge of her bed and watches her sleep.

It was clear as day now. Erin Voight is the most beautiful person he has ever seen in his entire life. The girls from his small town had nothing on her. She was the entire package. Tucker leaned forward and brushed a strand of hair out of her face. He had to get up. He didn't want to hurt her. He leaves out of her room in a rush and comes to an abrupt stop in the hallway. His hands were shaking as he leaned against the hallway wall. The struggle of his choices weighed on his mind. He smirks. His hands stop shaking.

Tucker races out of her apartment, runs to his car parked down the street and swiftly opens the door to retrieve his beige duffle bag. His car was fine. He told her he caught the bus, but he really just parked near the bus stop and walked the remainder of the way to her house for early morning carpool. Tucker slams his car door shut, locks it and races back to her house. He cracks open her front door. She should still be asleep, but just in case she woke up, he had to be alert. Tucker told himself; he's doing all of this to keep her safe. All he wants to do is protect her. In order to do that, he had to know things that she never told him.

He locates a hidden opening on her bookshelf. That'll be the first location. Her bedroom is the second. Every second was vital. She could wake up at any moment. The minute the first camera was connected; he sighed in relief and rushed to hook up the other one. She could never know. He had to ensure himself that they were all hidden perfectly. Once he finishes, he leaves. He goes back to his car, opens his laptop up and connects himself to the cameras. They work. They all work. Tucker adjusts himself until he finds a comfortable position. He leans back in his seat and watches the second camera screen. She was still sleeping.

 _Friday Morning_

Erin hears a familiar voice that her brain is too tired to register. She struggles to open her eyes, and is immediately blinded by the sudden sunlight from outside. Out of reflex, she pulls the covers over her head. She could feel the two people, standing at the end of her bed, watching her. Slowly and carefully, she lowers the covers and spots the face of her dad and Jay.

"You let him in my apartment!" She accuses Jay, angrily fuming at him for using the spare key she gave him to let her father inside.

"We were worried about you." Jay moves closer, and takes a seat on the edge, "Atwater said-"

"…Atwater. I'm going to kill him."

"It's a little before noon." Voight ignores her fuming anger, "What are you still doing in bed?"

"What are you still doing in my room?" Erin glares at her father before glancing back at her boyfriend, "And what are you two doing together? Aren't you off today Jay?"

"I called him to see if you were over there…you weren't. So I told him to meet me here. He's the one with the key to get in and I wasn't against knocking the door down." Voight stepped closer to his exhausted daughter, "I just came to check up on you. You didn't text me yesterday."

"Speaking of that," she holds up a finger as she steps out of bed, "since you brought it up, dad you need to lay off. I'm not a kid anymore."

"Erin-"

"No," she shakes her head, "I don't mind you checking up on me, but don't you think it's a little ridiculous for me to text you freaking updates on where I am throughout the day. I'm 24 for Christ sakes. I'm not a kid anymore."

"You'll always be my kid."

"Let's just talk about this in our indoor voices," Jay attempts to play buffer until both father and daughter simultaneously turn to glare at him, "Fine then…hash it out."

Hank Voight walks over to her end table, and angrily pulls it open. He searches through the small drawer and grabs a key, "I'm taking this spare key with me."

"You can't do that."

"I sure can," he adds it onto his key ring; "I pay for the apartment. I pay for this key."

She doesn't put up an argument. It's too early, and she knows her father, she'll get nowhere.

"Now that you got the key, and you see that I'm alive and breathing, can you leave now?"

Tucker is sitting comfortably on his bed with the laptop opened on his lap. He doesn't have any sound. This was the perfect time to have it, but the cameras didn't offer that function. From the body language, he could tell they were arguing. And moments after the argument ended, she stormed into her bathroom and slammed the door behind her.

Voight sighed to himself as his hands fumbled with his keys. He's holding his car key as he turns to face Jay, "I'm heading back to the station. I'll see you bright and early tomorrow morning." Jay nods, and Hank eyes the closed bathroom door, "I'll see you on Sunday Erin." He hesitates by the threshold of her bedroom door, "I love you kid." He leaves.

Erin hears her father. She mentally responds to him as she wraps up brushing her teeth. She turned the faucet water back on and rinsed out her mouth. Lindsay heard a light knock hit against the locked bathroom door. It was most likely Jay. Her father was gone. She turns the shower water on before unlocking and opening the bathroom door. Tucker watches from the laptop screen, before his bubbling anger causes him to slam it shut. What was her boyfriend still doing there? They had plans later today. Tucker figured once he got ready, and popped up at Erin's apartment, she would feel forced to kick her boyfriend out. They never specified what time they want to meet up so it left the window open for him to show up at any time. Tucker tosses the laptop beside him as he gets up to start getting ready for his next date.

"What?" The door is pulled open. She was mad at him. He could tell. It didn't take a rocket scientist to be able to see the glare in her eye and the angered tone in her voice. Jay was on the receiving end of her anger countless times. It came with dating someone. You'll eventually argue. While in the beginning it used to upset him, now, he looked at her anger differently. She was really mad at her father, but he was the only one here to suffer the wrath of it.

Her bed head, the pout on her face and the curious yet stern look in her eye was beautiful. She looked extremely beautiful. He doesn't want to argue and Erin senses that the moment he steps closer to her. His hand cups her face, and before she could utter a word, his mouth is upon hers. It started off gentle. It was calm and tender, but seconds into the kiss, it grew heated and passionate. They began tugging at each other's clothes, wanting to rip off the fabric that currently prevented them from skin to skin contact. Jay steps further into the restroom, his hands placed firmly on her hips, and he kicks the door shut behind them.

 _Friday Afternoon_

Tucker stands at Erin's white door and begins knocking loudly against it. Just in case she was far away he wanted to make sure she knew someone was here. Tucker tucked his hands into his front pockets as he rocked back and forth on his heels. Minutes following his knock, the door swung open, and instead of being met by Erin's short stature, he saw the bare, chiseled chest of a man. It was her boyfriend. Standing in jeans, no shirt and dripping wet hair, Jay raised an eyebrow. He looked utterly confused, "Can I help you?"

Tucker gives the man a disapproving look, "Who are you?"

"Tucker," Erin appears behind her boyfriend. She pulls the door further open, "Jay this is Tucker. He's a friend."

Jay extends his hand, "I'm Jay…the boyfriend."

Before Tucker had the chance to respond, Erin's standing in front of her boyfriend. She looks just as confused as Jay did. She waves him inside, "Tucker, what are you doing here?"

He notices her wet hair, "We're supposed to go out."

"We," Erin immediately remembers, "oh my gosh…I'm sorry. I absolutely forgot. I got," she takes a quick look back at Jay, "caught up and it completely slipped from my mind."

"Well, we can go right now."

Jay is observing the conversation. He's in no rush to leave and neither is Tucker. Halstead stands behind his girlfriend and continues to watch the exchange. Erin glanced over Tucker's shoulder at her opened front door, "Well," she takes another look at Jay, "I'm kind of busy. We'll see each other tomorrow morning."

"…but you…you promised."

"I didn't promise," Erin strictly remembers, "It's just one day Tucker."

"You're right. It's just one day."

"I'll see you tomorrow."

Tucker doesn't respond. He takes a look at Jay from over Erin's shoulder before he turns to walk out of the apartment. Erin closes the door behind him and he hears her lock each latch. Jay steps closer and takes a look out of the peephole, "What are you doing?" He hears Erin ask as he turns around, "I'm just making sure he leaves." Once Tucker disappears out of sight, Halstead turns around, "Well, he's definitely interesting."

She chuckles as the two begin walking in the direction of the kitchen, "Stop…he's a nice guy. He surely saved my ass on Sunday."

"Saved your ass," Jay opens up her fridge, "How?" He leans in and grabs one of the beers Tucker brought her earlier in the week.

"Some asshole on a bike almost ran into me." Jay tosses her a beer and she catches it, "Tucker pulled me out of the way. He's a sweet guy in a weird kind of way."

Erin sets the glass beer bottle down onto the counter before sliding onto the countertop. Her legs dangled as Jay opened his beer, "I don't get the sweet vibe at all Erin…I definitely got the weird vibe though."

"I don't see it, but I'm not a cop."

Jay pressed his lips together in a straight-lined smile, "You didn't see the way he looked at me when I opened the door." He moves to stand closer. Her legs dangled in front of him. His eyes glanced down to meet hers, "Does he know you have a boyfriend…or did he just find out?"

"He knows," her hand caresses his cheek, "of course he knows. I told him when we made plans to hang out this week."

"Something just doesn't sit right with me about him." Jay zones out before snapping back into reality and focusing on Erin, "I can't tell you who you can and cannot hang out with, but just watch your back. He just rubs me the wrong way."

"All of my male friends who you do not know rub you the wrong way."

Jay circles his arms around her waist, "He's different."

"I don't want to talk about Tucker anymore."

Halstead takes another swig of his beer before sitting the bottle down beside her on the counter. His arm remained wrapped around her waist, as drops of the water in her hair fell upon his hand, "What do you want to talk about?"

"No talking," she presses her lips against his before he has the chance to respond, "definitely no more talking."


	4. It's Far From Over

_Saturday Morning:_

The day starts off on a good note; however Jay's words do stick with her. She accepts the friend request he sent her days ago only to snoop on his profile. His account page was private until they became Facebook friends. She notices that he's had the page for years, but he only has two Facebook friends; her and one other person from his small town. There's only one photo uploaded, it's his profile picture and it's of him smiling. She can tell the grin is forced. It doesn't reach his eyes like normal smiles do.

When she meets him in the morning, neither speak of her accepting his friend request. The two leave once he arrives at her place, and they head into downtown Chicago. The moment he arrives outside, she comes out to meet him at her car. He planned on bringing up her accepting his friend request, but her outfit distracts him. She's in a pair of leggings and boots, but that's not what catches his eye. It's the large sweatshirt swallowing up most of her body. The sweatshirt was two sizes bigger that her, and it surely either belonged to a man or a very large woman. The length fell to her mid-thigh. It had the words Police Academy written across the front, and when she jogged around to the driver's side, he saw the word Halstead written across the back in large, black font. The damn sweatshirt belonged to her boyfriend.

"Hey Tucker," she unlocked the doors.

Tucker doesn't respond. He's absorbed by her beauty and he's struggling to ignore the large sweatshirt. Her hair is pulled back into a high ponytail. She's sporting no makeup, and her face is refreshing. She's definitely a sight for sore eyes.

"That's a big sweater," he can't help but to comment.

"It's Saturday morning and I have no one to impress."

He pouts at that. He's definitely someone to impress, however, lucky for her, she didn't need to try hard. Just her presence, her smile, and laugh impressed him enough.

"I drove my boyfriend into work this morning," she's backing out of her parking space, "and he forgot his badge, so before we start sightseeing, I need to drop it off."

"Badge?"

Erin nods, "Yep. He's a detective. He works under my dad."

He didn't like to be surprised. He liked to know what he was up against. Her father is a sergeant and her boyfriend is a detective. This was a challenge, and he smiled at the realization that he was strong enough to be up for it.

She's focusing on the road when he decides to speak again, "I met him during college orientation. He was a freshman tour guide, but he was considering dropping out. College isn't for everyone. We kept in touch after my tour. I was a high school senior. He asked me out a few months after my graduation. As we got to know each other, he mentioned to me that he either wanted to go to the police academy or join the military."

"I see which direction he chose," Tucker nods his head towards her sweatshirt.

"Yeah, I may have had something to do with that." Erin takes the highway exit, "We were doing really well, and he didn't want to leave so I told him not to go. I didn't want him to leave either."

"Does he regret it?"

"…not that I know of."

Tucker wanted a relationship with Erin just like the relationship she had with Jay. He wanted that. He deserved that. He's going to get that if it's the last thing he does.

"Tucker," he looks over at Erin, "can you grab my phone and call Jay? Put it on speaker when you do please." He remembers her phone password from the other night when she told him. It was her mother's name. He'll always remember it.

He dials the number and places the phone on speaker like she requested. It rang for less than two seconds when he picks up, "Hey babe, are you outside?"

"I'm pulling up now."

"Here I come," he hangs up.

It was short and sweet. Erin pulls into a parallel parking spot, but she doesn't get out. She has no desire to pay the meter for staying less than five minutes.

She sees him approach, and she rolls down the window, "Hey good-looking."

"Hey," he leans into the car to peck her lips.

She hands him his badge, "Here you go."

"…thanks, you're a lifesaver." Jay is leaning against the door, lowering his head to peek into the car, "Hi Tucker," he greets, and Tucker silently waves in return.

The face Jay makes in Erin's direction earns him a shove to the arm. She mouths stop to him and he smirks at the embarrassment on her face, "Have fun today."

"We will," Tucker does in fact respond to that.

Halstead ignores it, "See you tonight," he leans forward once more to press his lips casually against his girlfriend, "I'll bring the food since you already have the drinks."

"I'm looking forward to it."

The moment Jay took a step back onto the sidewalk, Erin drove away. She was ready to start visiting every location on their list. The quicker she made it through, the sooner she gets to go home, relax and prepare for her boyfriend's visit. The first location was closed. All she could do was drive past it and tell Tucker stories about why it's one of the best hangout spots for young adults in Chicago. It was only open on weekdays. The second location was a nightclub. It didn't open until nine pm and it was the hotspot on Saturday nights. College students partied there until the early morning. Out of every club that downtown Chicago had to offer, this one was her favorite. Most nights they had discount drinks, great music, and a lot of room on the dance floor and most importantly females got in for free on the weekends. Erin was happy the third location was a hotspot for deep dish pizza. Walking, talking and driving around Chicago worked her up an appetite. They ordered slices to go and decided to walk along the Chicago streets while eating upon their slices. Fortunately, their last two locations were within walking distance.

"We can resume tour talk when we get to the places," Tucker took his second bite of the large slice of pizza, "For right now, let's talk."

"…okay, about what?"

"Let's get to know each other."

The pair looks both ways before crossing the street. Downtown Chicago was always crowded during the weekends. Erin, struggling to keep up with his fast walk, spoke, "You first."

"My parents died in a car crash when I was in my undergrad year of college."

"Wow, to be honest, when you suggested we get to know each other, I thought you were going to start off with your favorite color or something," she shrugs as she uses her clean hand to sympathetically squeeze his shoulder, "I'm sorry about your loss."

"It's okay…"

"I can't imagine," the remainder of her pizza slice was growing cold as the turn in conversation caused her to forget about taking another bite, "my mom died of ovarian cancer. It was tough. I can't imagine losing both of my parents at the same time."

"I was bullied as a kid," he unemotionally states.

She stops walking, confusion evident on her face, "We're just stating facts. We're not going into detail about anything."

"…I wasn't planning on it." His eyes are hard as he stares forward.

"I went to a private high school, but I didn't fit in at all." Erin decides to take another bite of her warm slice of pizza, "I wasn't bullied. I just kept to myself more. Most of my friends went to the neighborhood public school so I had to wait and hang out with them after school." Erin grabs his arm and pulls him to a stop, "That large, silver bean looking thing right there," she points a few feet ahead of them, "That's the bean…or Cloud Gate. That's on our list."

As they begin walking towards the fourth destination on their already made list, he speaks up, "I'm afraid of being alone," he states seconds after finishing his slice, "and I'm afraid of never being accepted." He stops walking towards Cloud Gate.

Erin stops too, "Tucker," her voice sounds sad, "you don't have to worry about being alone and not getting accepted. That's what friends are here for, right?" She feels bad for him. She could tell he was a little socially awkward, but she didn't know it rooted from his fears. The fear of him wanting friends and yearning to be accepted made him try really hard.

"What's your fear?" He looks her hard in the eyes.

Erin absolutely hated talking about her fears. They made her feel uneasy. Her heart always beat faster at the thought. Sometimes her palms grew sweaty. She finished her last bite, before swallowing back her anxiety to answer, "I am deathly afraid of snakes and clowns."

Out of all of the reactions she expected to receive, hard, full out laughter was not one of them. She was a little insulted. She knew how bad someone's fears could get. She didn't laugh at his, no matter how ridiculous she thought they had been. She respected his fears. We can't control what we're afraid of. Tucker had assumed it would take more to bother and scare her if needed. He thought he would literally have to bend over backwards to get a terrified reaction out of her. None of that was true though…all he would need is a clown suit and some face paint.

"I am so glad that my fears entertain you."

"No," he immediately stops laughing as if on cue, "No, they just caught me off guard."

"…those are common fears."

"Snakes, I get…but clowns."

"I had a bad experience," the two resume their walk towards the bean.

Erin doesn't catch the smile stretching across Tucker's face, "Tell me…"

"I…I was six," she wraps her arms protectively around her lower waist, "My parents, my dad's best friend Al and his wife Meredith and I went on vacation. I was the only child. Al and his wife didn't have their daughter until a year later. They decided to take me to an amusement park, but I got lost." Her eyes gaze forward and all she sees is her six year old self fearfully running around the huge park looking for her parents, "I found my way to this funhouse which was basically a walk through thing full of clowns. I ended up walking through a door that was used as an emergency exit" Her eye brows knit together, "It led out to a back alleyway that I guess they used for smoking breaks…I'm not sure." She inhales a deep breath as they take a seat upon an empty bench, "A clown was outside and he saw me. He was leaning against the dumpster looking at me and he asked me where my parents were. When I didn't say anything, he ran up to me and yelled boo in my face. I guess he was trying to get a reaction." She's not looking at Tucker's face. This story traumatized her enough to hate all types of clowns. Erin leaned back on the bench, "He didn't look like the rest of the clowns. His makeup was smeared, there was dirt all over his clothes and he reeked of cigarette smoke and alcohol. I was about to cry," she ran her hand through her ponytail, "I wanted to cry, but then he pinched my cheek," she points towards the cheek he pinched, "and he started laughing. I was frozen. He didn't do anything thank goodness. He just stood next to me, finished his cigarette while patting my head and doing that stereotypical clown laugh they always do." She doesn't hear anything from Tucker. As the end of her story approaches, she turns her body to face him, "My parents and my dad's friends must have split up to look for me because Al found me. He found me frozen, crying and standing in my own urine. They searched the park for the clown but they never found him."

Tucker sees her looking at him. He thought the story was amusing. It was definitely creepy, but he liked creepy. What the strange clown guy did is something he would definitely do. It's something he has to do. That story was amazing. He felt the chills hit his bones at the unfinished tale. No one knew what happened to the clown. He could be anywhere. He could be dead or alive. He's possibly free or in prison. There were so many possibilities…and Tucker liked it. He just couldn't let Erin know he did.

He eyed her hand resting on her lap, "I'm sorry for laughing at your fear," he placed his hand over top of hers. The story was nice. It could have been perfect, only if it didn't happen to Erin. Tucker didn't like the idea of someone scaring her hard enough for the story to stick with her years from the day it happened.

"I slept in my parents' room for months." She doesn't pull her hand away. A part of Erin actually does appreciate the comfort. "Since then I've never been back to a circus, I didn't have clowns at any of my birthday parties and I've never been back to a funhouse."

The moment her story was over, Erin decides to remove her hand from beneath his. It was comforting when she was reliving one of her most traumatizing childhood memories, but now that the moment was over, it quickly became awkward.

"We should head to our next destination. It's in walking distance." Erin stands up.

Tucker jumps at the chance. He sees the vulnerability in her eyes, and he uses it to his advantage. The 27 year old wraps his arms around her and holds her close, "I'm here."

"I'm fine. I just hate retelling the story, but now that I'm done, I'm fine," she draws back from the hug, but his arms remain open. He steps forward. She steps back, "No offense, but you give really uncomfortable hugs."

"It just means I need to practice."

"…find a teddy bear for that."

Lindsay waves him to follow her. She's had plenty of guy friends who attempted to make passes with her. Usually once she warned them off, or acted uninterested, they stopped. If they couldn't stop, she ended the friendship. She wasn't losing her boyfriend over some friend who couldn't take a hint. Erin didn't quite pick up on flirting, but when she did, she knew it was obvious on their part. Some guys didn't even try to be subtle.

"Tucker, when will your car be out of the shop?"

"…it should uh; it should take at least another week." He scratches the back of his head nervously, "Why? Is there a problem? There's a problem isn't it? I'm sorry. I'm very-"

She interrupts him, "It's not a problem Tucker. I just wanted to know."

The pair approached the crosswalk, and once the seconds started counting down, they began crossing the street. This was a longer light so they had a lot of time to get across.

"Is this the last place on our list?"

"It sure is," she nods with a smile as she swings open the door to the ice cream shop, "this is one of my favorite places. We saved the best place for last. My mom used to take me here all the time. Fun fact about me," she raises her finger in excitement, "I have tried every flavor here."

Tucker paid for dessert. He was a gentleman. During a date, he's supposed to pay. It was how he was brought up. His dad always told him; if you take a special lady out on a date, you pay. Erin was definitely his special lady. He would go broke if it meant she was happy.

"It's a nice day; let's eat at the table outside," he jogged to the door to push it open for her, "Thanks Tucker. Aren't you sweet?"

"Does your boyfriend hold the door open for you?"

She thinks hard, "…sometimes. I don't really mind it either way."

"You're a lady. Men are supposed to hold the door open for you."

Erin chuckles before she eats a scoop of ice cream, "I appreciate it either way. I mean…I'm no invalid. I can open the door for myself."

"I know that, but you shouldn't have to."

"You're speaking as if you hold the door open for me every time we're together."

"I do," he nods, his ice cream long forgotten in his hand.

"…no you don't."

"Erin, yes I do."

"No," she shakes her head, "no you don't."

The 27 year old doesn't want to argue with her. She's a lady in his eyes and he knows the truth. He opens doors for her, pulls out chairs, pays at restaurants and walks her to her door after their dates. He hasn't kissed her yet because he's a gentleman. He wants to wait for her to make the first move…or for her to hint towards him that she's ready for him to make the move.

"I need your number."

Erin looks up from her ice cream, "You don't know my number?"

"No," he's confused. Should he have her number?

"I mean," she shrugs nonchalantly; "you seem to know everything else about me."

"It's for class."

"A class wants you to get my number?"

"No, no," he's flustered and it causes her to chuckle.

"Relax Tucker," she extends her hand and waits to receive his cell phone, "I get what you're asking. You want my number just in case you have a question about class. I just like to see you sweat. It's kind of funny."

He places his cell into her hand and she types in her number. Erin does it in less than a minute. She even sends herself a text from his phone so she would have his number.

"You're really quick with cell phones."

"What person in this generation isn't?" She asks and by the shrug of his shoulders, he accepts her response, "So what do you have planned for the rest of the day?"

"I think I'll finish unpacking."

"You haven't finished yet?"

"I was kind of hesitant. I didn't know whether or not Chicago was the right fit for me."

"Well, is it?"

"…it sure is."

"Good to hear."

They silently eat at the rest of their now melting ice cream. Small families, young and old couples and even tourists flooded in and out of the ice cream parlor. This was a pretty popular place. Tucker finished his ice cream a few minutes before Erin finished hers. He really wished they made a longer list, but Erin could only think of five places. He should have looked places up and pretended to show interest in them. Tucker wasn't ready to say goodbye.

"You have dinner with your dad tomorrow, right?"

Erin grabs a napkin to wipe her mouth, "Why must you remind me?"

"I just had a great idea. You're going to love me for it."

"I'm listening."

"How about I come with you to dinner with your dad? I can play buffer. I can be there for your talk with him and him and I can kind of get to know each other."

"I just met you."

"So…"

"…my own boyfriend doesn't even come with me to dinners with my dad."

Her boyfriend, Jay Halstead, didn't give Tucker the best feeling. Tucker didn't trust him. He wasn't good enough for Erin. She deserved better. She deserved him. They deserved to be together…not her and Halstead. He stood up when she did and followed her over to the trashcan. He dumped his used napkins inside, "You should consider it."

"…absolutely not," There's a quick pep in Erin's step and Tucker is trying to keep up, "it hasn't even been an entire week-"

"It will be tomorrow…on Sunday."

"As I was saying," she completely ignores his interruption as they head back to her car, "it hasn't even been an entire week yet. I just met you."

"I thought we were getting closer."

"What do you expect to come of our relationship Tucker?" She stops a few feet from her car. Her arms are crossed and she turns to look at him, "Is it strictly platonic or are you aiming for more?"

"I want whatever you want."

"I thought it was a little weird when you insisted on hanging out every day of the week, but I let it slide. I know being in a new town and only knowing one person had to be hard, but I figured I would make it a little less hard for you. You come on strong Tucker, and maybe it's not you, maybe it's me, but it makes me feel uncomfortable."

"I don't come on strong."

"You want to meet my dad."

"…as friends."

"You want to get to know him."

"…as your friend."

"You ask me a lot of questions about my boyfriend."

"Friends talk about those things."

"…not when you met that friend less than a week ago."

Erin unlocks her car and steps to the door before Tucker had the chance to attempt to open it. He takes the hint and jogs around to the passenger side. This wasn't like Erin…Tucker knew that. The only reason she's acting that way is because of her boyfriend. Before Jay got involved yesterday, she enjoyed his company. It's his fault.

"I'll drive you to my apartment so you can catch the bus home," he doesn't say anything because all his brain can tell him to do is nod his head, "and maybe we should stop carpooling."

"I just wanted to meet your dad. I just wanted to see where you came from and to get to know you more. I didn't think that was such a bad thing Erin."

"I'm a blunt person," she tells him as she buckles her seatbelt, "and I'm going to be honest, I think you want more from me than friendship. All of the extra touching, the prolonged hugs, the way you smile at me and the insistence on hanging out together every day is not the norm for platonic friendships." She starts the car, but she doesn't place it in drive yet. Erin stares forward, "My life is really good right now. I love my boyfriend and I don't want to screw that up. I won't say we can't be friends in the future, but I will say we can't be friends right now."

"…but you're my only friend!" he's pleading with her at this point.

"You should definitely change that."

 _Saturday Evening:_

Instead of picking up pizza like they originally planned, Jay decided to switch things up. He has a flowery waist apron on, and he's grilling vegetables on the stove. Erin is sitting on the countertop, with an opened beer resting in her closed palm, "I must say Halstead, you look extremely hot in an apron."

"You think," he stirs the grilled peppers and onions, "I'm glad you like it."

"…oh definitely," she smiles as she brings the beer bottle up to her mouth.

Tucker watched the couple through the laptop screen. He was furious. After breaking a few dishes in his kitchen, knocking packed boxes over and kicking a hole into his wall, he felt slightly calmer. Now, he lay on his bed, watching him cook for her. She was sitting on the countertop, laughing at something Tucker couldn't hear. Her so called boyfriend was goofing around while making dinner. Tucker was mad, but he wasn't too angry. He did appreciate the fact that there was a smile on her face.

After she told him to make new friends, she barely spoke anymore words. Tucker made a mental note. Her family was definitely a sensitive topic. He needed to remember that so he could avoid her wrath the next time they go out. He really made her upset. He had to make it up to her somehow. Tucker blinked out of his reverie and focused back in on the computer screen.

Erin jumped down to the ground and flashed her boyfriend a beautiful smile. Jay couldn't help but blush causing her to chuckle. She approached the cooking food and took a peek at the cooked, grilled chicken waiting to be served, "Everything smells so good."

"The food just finished," Jay added the grilled peppers and onions on top of the grilled chicken, "grab the plates." She nodded and turned to the adjacent cabinet to do as requested.

Lindsay held out both plates and watched with big eyes as Jay scooped dinner onto them. He rarely cooked, but when he did, she absolutely loved it. Jay set the pan back down and untied his apron, "Aw, you could have eaten with it on."

"Sorry, next time…" He takes a hold of his plate from her.

Halstead and Lindsay didn't want to eat at the countertop bar. The two walked over and set their plates down upon the coffee table. She sat cross legged on the carpeted floor, waiting patiently for him to sit comfortably beside her. The couple began silently cutting up their chicken breast.

He used his fork to take a bite, "You wore my sweatshirt this whole day?"

"Yeah," she nods after swallowing her bite, "After you left for work, I took a jog around the neighborhood. I got back a little later than planned, took a quick shower and I couldn't find anything to wear."

"Wait," he quirks his eyebrow flirtatiously, "do you have anything on underneath?"

She bites her bottom lip, "…a sports bra."

"God I love you," his words cause her to chuckle as the two continued eating.

Erin swallows another bite, "Why are you so perfect? I mean you're handsome, you work, you clean and you cook. How did I get so lucky?"

"I ask myself that every day." She shoves his arm at his joking statement.

Jay uses his fork to mix the remainder of his meal. He shifts uneasily because he desperately wants to bring up a specific part of her day. He just doesn't know how.

"What do you want to ask me?"

He chuckles dryly, "How was your day with Tucker?"

"I don't think I'll be hanging out with him again any time soon." She pulls herself to her feet to head into the kitchen, "I mean, of course I'll still speak to him and see him because we have a class together, but outside of school, they'll be no more me and him." She grabs her beer off of the counter and grabs him a beer from the fridge.

"Why?" Jay sits up straighter, "Did something happen?"

"No," she sets the drinks down and retakes her sitting position next to him, "Ever since you mentioned him being weird, I started paying more attention." She takes a small sip of her beer, "I don't know…maybe I'm overreacting."

"Why? What happened?" His back is leaning against the bottom of the sofa. Jay's hand is holding his beer and he takes small sips as he listens to her.

"…nothing bad. He just likes to hug me, give his opinions on the personal relationships in my life…and he wanted to come to dinner with me and my dad."

"I have yet to get invited to that dinner."

Erin lifts her beer, "Well that dinner hasn't happened in the last three years."

"I knew you for the last seven."

"You will get invited," she leans forward and presses a quick peck against his lips, "I can promise you that."

Halstead watches his girlfriend scoot forward to finish the remainder of food on her plate. His back continued to rest against the bottom of the couch, "Okay, so what did you guys do?"

"I took him to the places on the list we made on my phone. I showed you the list in bed Friday night during commercial break for whatever boring movie you were watching."

"How did that go?"

"Good," she takes another bite, "I got a slice of pizza and ice cream out of it."

"What else?"

"We got to know each other," she swallowed her last bite, "He shared some stories and I did too." Erin takes a look at her boyfriend, "I told him the clown story."

"Seriously," his arm is open as she slides up against him.

Erin's head lay against his shoulder, "Yeah, but you'll have to spend the night. There is no way I'm sleeping here by myself."

"You don't have to ask twice," he pecks her forehead.

She looks up at the television; it's off, "We never got to watch a game."

"It's okay," he pulls her against him closer, "I would choose this over a game any day."

Erin looks up at him and presses her lips against his. She smiles into the kiss, and the moment her hand approaches the back of his head, Tucker slams the laptop shut.


	5. Cut Me Some Slack

_Sunday Morning:_

Erin opens her eyes when she feels Jay shift beneath her. His alarm was going off, and he was trying to use his free arm, the one that wasn't wrapped around Erin, to turn it off. She groaned and buried her face into his bare chest, "Do you have to leave?"

"Sorry," he pressed a kiss against her forehead.

She felt him slide from her side, "When will I see you again?"

"…whenever you want," Jay hops up and slides on his slippers.

The two had clothes over each other's apartments. It made spending the night over each other's places easily attainable. Both Jay and Erin didn't have to worry about packing an overnight bag nor grabbing a spare set of pajamas and a toothbrush since they had the necessities at both locations. Erin rolled onto her back, sat up and leaned against the headboard of the bed, "I'll come to your place after dinner with my dad. I'm sure I'll have to vent and relieve some frustrations. You know how Hank Voight can get."

Jay briefly disappeared into the hallway and grabbed a towel from the closet, "I'm going to take a quick shower…then I have to head out." Lindsay nods as he disappears into her bathroom.

The screen was opened, and Tucker watched. His body was used to a lack of sleep. He couldn't bring himself to close his eyes for too long. He had to stay up-to-date on Erin. If he slept too long, he would miss important details. Last night, he had been calling her. He's left a few voicemails apologizing for overstepping any boundaries. He sent text messages pleading for her to give him another chance to be her friend. He deserved that.

Erin hears the shower water turn on and she kicks off the covers. She needed to get ready for the day too. Even though dinner with her dad wasn't until the evening, mentally preparing herself for dinner with her dad was an all-day preparation. Lindsay tiptoes into the bathroom seconds after Jay steps into the shower. She hears him lowly humming some random song he must have heard recently. Erin pulled off her clothing and stood in the nude as the heat from the shower water began to fog up the bathroom. She approached the shower curtain and pulled it back in one quick, swift motion. Jay stopped humming, and he turned to face her with a look of passion embedded across his face, "I was hoping you joined me."

She took the hand he extended, "I couldn't pass up shower sex." Erin carefully stepped into the shower, and pulled the curtain closed behind her.

Tucker's knuckles turned red after he pounded his fist into his tottering headboard. The headboard fell after two hits, but that didn't stop Tucker from pounding his fist into it six more times. His knuckles ached, but he was too angry to give them much thought. Tucker had watched Erin follow her boyfriend into the restroom. Last time he watched them enter the bathroom together, they came out half an hour later, both soaked from their shared shower and smiling from ear to ear. Jay's not supposed to be the one making her smile like that, Tucker is. That was Tucker's girl and Jay was trying to steal her away.

The 27 year old grabbed his cell phone. He had no text messages, missed calls, or voicemails from her. He wasn't even aware whether or not she saw that he had been trying to reach out to her. Tucker just wanted to apologize and attempt to explain himself. His emotions controlled him, not rational thought. He acted strictly upon his feelings. And his feelings for her were in overdrive. They dictated who he was, what he thought, how he understood things and most importantly, they controlled his behavior, especially towards Erin. She was his soulmate. His emotions told him so.

After what felt like a lifetime, Tucker sees them reemerge from the restroom. A towel was draped around Jay's waist as he went straight towards the drawer. Erin emerged seconds later with only a towel wrapped around her dripping, wet hair. It was the first time Tucker saw a woman naked. It was the first time he saw someone he loved deeply standing in full frontal nudity. And he was impressed. The wait was worth it. Tucker pulled the laptop onto his lap.

Erin walked out of her bedroom, and into the hallway to grab herself a towel from the linen closet. Her last minute idea to jump in the shower with Jay had left her forgetting about grabbing a towel. She walked back into the bedroom, but this time, a towel was wrapped around her clean body. She saw Jay semi-dressed and frowned, "I wish you didn't have work today. I would recommend an after shower session."

He turned to look at her, "I'm tempted to take the day off."

"What would be your excuse? I highly doubt my father would accept you saying you're taking off to stay home and bang his daughter."

"I was thinking of faking a cough."

She shakes her head, "My dad won't fall for it."

"…an injury."

"Nope," she straps her bra and adjusts it around her chest, "Nice try babe, but it won't work."

"I'll call you on my lunch break."

"Speaking of calling me," she throws the covers on the bed around, "have you seen my phone? I haven't seen it since I got home last night."

"I can call it," Jay offers, strapping his badge onto his belt strap.

Erin drops her towel after putting on her underclothes, "It'll be useless. It's on silent." She throws the covers back onto the bed, "Ugh, I always regret putting my phone on silent when I can't find it."

"Why was it on silent?"

"I didn't want for us to be bothered by anyone calling," Erin unravels the towel from around her damp hair, "but right now, you're leaving and I need it."

Jay pulls his black socks onto his feet as Erin continued looking around. She checked behind her pillows, underneath the bed, and in her end tables.

"After I put on my shoes, I'll help you look," he grabs his work shoes, "You check the living room. I'll finish looking in here.

Lindsay doesn't protest. She grabs a tank top and throws it on. The living room was spotlessly clean, and once she stepped into it, she noticed her phone lying upon the coffee table.

"Found it," she walked over to it and picked it up, "It was on the table."

Erin tapped her phone and noticed a long, strolling list of missed calls, unheard voicemails, and unread texts. She typed her mother's name into her cell, granting her access to see just how much she has missed. There were 12 missed calls, 10 voicemails and 25 unread text messages all from Tucker. Her brow furrowed as she scanned each text. They were filled with apologies, explanations of his behavior, and requests to hang out later on in the week.

"What's wrong?" Jay walks out of the bedroom and notices the look on his girlfriend's face.

"…nothing I can't handle."

Her mouth was shut tight and stretched into a straight, serious line. She tapped onto the text screen and began responding to his messages. There last conversation Erin implied that they could possibly be friends maybe sometime in the future, but if he didn't give her space, then they could never be friends. She gets that Tucker is determined. He sees her as a close friend regardless of how long they've known each other. Guys like Tucker needed to be told in person. Letting him know through text message would not get her point across because he wouldn't be able to tell that she's serious. She isn't playing games. Erin texts him back. She lets him know that he can come over Thursday night. She didn't have classes the next day, and she could devote that time to making sure Tucker understood her when she told him to back off.

Jay puts on his leather jacket, "You're upset. What's wrong?"

"I'm just making plans with Tucker to meet up on Thursday night."

"I thought you guys were done hanging out outside of school."

Erin eyes him, and briefly watches as he pats down his pockets in search of his car keys, "I'm seeing him to put boundaries on our friendship."

"You guys have to put boundaries on your relationship."

She grabs his keys off the couch, "Yep." Erin tosses them into his opened hand.

"It sounds like you guys are the ones that's dating."

"I've only known him for a week," she reminds.

Halstead pockets his keys, "What day are you guys planning to meet up to set boundaries?"

"…Thursday."

"It'll almost be two weeks…I wonder will he propose."

If she had a shoe, she would have thrown it. Jay laughed at his own joke, finding this whole situation weirdly funny. He continued to chuckle as he walked around the couch.

"Sometimes I don't find you funny," her arms were crossed, and the straight line was back on her lips, "Tucker's coming over so I can basically tell him to leave me alone and you're joking about him proposing to me."

"It's just a joke." Jay begins approaching her closely, "He's not really going to propose, is he?"

She laughs this time, "No, but it's not funny. Tucker's so fragile and sensitive. I barely know him, but I can tell…He doesn't have many friends here or at home."

"I'm not surprised about that."

"He doesn't have many friends," She rolls her eyes and repeats herself, "and now I'm about to put our friendship on hiatus."

"Hiatus…" Jay's arm wraps around her waist, "that implies you both will be friends again."

"I just think he has a schoolboy crush."

His brow rises, "Did he make a move on you?"

"Now is not the time to be jealous."

"I'm not jealous," Jay wraps his arm around her shoulders, "just protective and territorial."

Erin walks beside him towards the door, "He's no threat. I have no interest in him."

"…but he has interest in you." The couple stops walking and stands in front of the door.

"What if I introduced him to a lovely friend of mine?"

Jay quips, "It depends. Do you want to lose that person as a friend?" She hits his shoulder.

"I'm serious Jay…maybe if he had another friend or a girlfriend; he wouldn't need or want to hang out with me all of the time."

Halstead pecked her lips quickly, "I'm behind whatever you decide, but he's weird Erin. Don't hook him up with a friend, maybe a stranger or enemy, but don't do a friend."

Lindsay sighed as she closed the door behind her departing boyfriend. She locked each latch and turned around to press her back against the wooden frame. Tucker was watching the entire time. Unfortunately, he didn't have audio. Now was the perfect time to have it, especially since Erin cut him off. If he had audio, he could hear of a way to get her back. He could hear what he did wrong and work to win her heart and her forgiveness. An opened granola bar is sitting on his lap, and after every few seconds he takes a bite. Watching Erin never got boring. She could fall asleep, make food, walk into a different room and he would give each action his undivided attention. Currently, he's watching her make cereal in her kitchen. It's a healthy brand of cereal. It's not one of his favorites, but if it meant, he and Erin could eat cereal together one day, he would learn to love it.

Tucker watches her take a seat on top of the barstool. She pulls the bowl closer and takes small and slow bites of her food. She looks boring. He sends her a quick text back confirming Thursday is a good day for him to come over. He would come over regardless of whether or not he was busy. She was first in his life. She'll always be first. They deserve to have a conversation. They deserve to talk things out. Their love for one another was too strong to just end the way it did. She was pulling away from him. She was turning her back on him.

The 27 year old wanted to feel close to her again. He wanted the rush…the rush he got last Sunday when he pulled her out of the way of the oncoming bicycle. Tucker wanted her to look at him again the way she did when she was in his arms last Sunday. He wants to hear her call him her hero again because that's who he is…he's her hero, and she seemed to have forgotten, and now it was up to him to remind her.

Tucker minimizes the camera window. Erin is allergic to tree nuts, and with the extremity of that allergy, she was given an epinephrine pen. He loads up the internet browser and searches for a list of tree nuts. He needed the specifics. Tucker wasn't fully aware of what fell into the tree nut category. He bookmarks the list as he opens another tab. Tucker had an idea. He had a plan that was going to be full proof. All he needed to do was put in an order for an empty epinephrine pen. He would expedite the shipping so it could arrive by Thursday. After they see each other again, she won't forget. She won't forget that he's her hero.

 _Sunday Evening:_

Erin is holding a store bought apple pie in her hands. It was a peace offering; her father's favorite. She opened the screen door, pulled out her set of keys and unlocked his front door. She took a cautious step inside, "Dad, it's me, so if you're holding up your shotgun, put it away."

Hank walks into the foyer, "You're funny."

"It won't be the first time I walked into the house to see you holding up a shotgun because you thought someone broke in."

"Yeah, well, your mother and I were asleep, and you were supposed to be in your room asleep. Yet you walked through the front door at two in the morning."

"You grounded me for five months."

"…you didn't do it again."

"Well, yeah, of course not, because mom threatened to ground me until my 21st birthday. I would never call her bluff."

"Smart woman," Hank pulled his daughter into a hug, "It's good to see you."

"I brought a peace offering," she hugged him back with one arm as the other held onto the pie tightly. Lindsay searched for this pie. Her dad only liked a specific brand.

Lindsay followed her dad into the dining room. She set the pie down beside the multiple dishes he prepared, "Wow you went all out."

He sat down, "I felt it was right."

"There are only two of us," she reminded, taking a seat across from him.

"…more leftovers for you to take home."

Hank and Erin silently made their plates, trying to fall back into the normal Sunday dinner atmosphere they used to have before her mother passed. She passed her dad the mashed potatoes as she picked up the meatloaf dish.

"This smells divine."

"You were always the number one fan of my cooking dishes."

"Yeah," Erin sighs, passing him the meatloaf dish, "you're the best cook I know." She lifted the bowl of broccoli, "Don't tell Halstead I said that."

"I'll think about it."

With both of their plates made, Erin waited for her dad to pour him and her some of the filtered water he kept in his refrigerator. She didn't plan on eating until he was seated. She took a sip of water to loosen her dry mouth, "Dad, this feels weird."

"I know," he agrees.

"I keep thinking mom is going to walk in and sit down."

"I know," he nods.

He lifts his knife and fork, "How was your first week of school?" He starts cutting his meatloaf.

"…the same as always."

Voight accepted the answer, "I hear you met a new friend."

"And how did you hear that?" Erin grabs a roll from the bowl.

"Jay and Kim talk. They keep me informed since you don't."

She doesn't feel like arguing. After swallowing a bite of mashed potatoes, she responds, "His name is Tucker. He's a few years older. He's in his last year too."

"You trust him?" Voight continues to prod in between bites of food.

"I barely know him."

"Do you trust him though?"

Erin sets her fork down onto her plate calmly, "You do this with all of my friends. This is partly the reason why I barely have any. You drive them away!"

"I look out for your best interest."

Lindsay chuckles dryly, "I understand you getting Landon and Charlie out of my life, but Annie, what did she ever do?"

"She has a permanent connection to Charlie. Staying in her life may cause you to run into him."

"That personal connection's name is Travis. And what about Nadia or Teddy or Rachel?"

"Just watch your back Erin."

"Dad-" she sets her fork down and sighs.

"What? I don't trust him."

"You don't trust anyone! You haven't even met him!"

Voight swallowed a sip of water, "Halstead did, and Halstead doesn't trust him. When it comes to you, I trust Halstead's opinion wholeheartedly."

"What else do you and Halstead talk about?"

Hank breaks eye contact, "We're just looking out for you Erin."

"I'm a grown woman. I don't need my dad and my boyfriend coddling me all of the freaking time. I can take care of myself so just," she takes a deep breath as her hand wraps around her glass of water, "so just stay out of my personal life. Okay dad?"

"No…not okay." His meal is long forgotten as he focuses on her, "This isn't some utopian world we live in Erin. This world, this city, is filled with people in all walks of life; some good, some bad, and some just downright out of their mind. I've made enemies. I've seen a lot of things in my life. I've protected you…I am protecting you. It's my job. I will protect these streets and I will definitely, with every fiber of my being, protect you. Do you understand?"

"…yes."

"And I don't care if you get mad at me, I'm your dad. I'm not here to be your best friend. I'm here to be your father. Do you understand?"

"…yes."

"And I tell you all of the time to not put yourself in vulnerable situations!"

"I know dad!"

"I know you know, it's the lack of using that knowledge that I'm having the problem with!"

Erin didn't come to dinner to get berated by her father. She didn't come to be lectured and made to feel bad. She truly came to spend time with her dad and restart the Voight tradition.

"I know you only want to look out for me."

"You can't keep putting yourself in vulnerable situations," Voight interrupted, pleading with his daughter to listen, "Taking a random guy to a nightclub, getting drunk and having him take you home, what were you thinking?"

"He wasn't a random guy."

"You don't know anything about him!"

"But, he wasn't a random guy! And we went to meet Burgess and Atwater." Erin attempts to explain, but her dad's shaking head informs her that he wasn't listening, "And why are you upset about it now? You didn't seem concerned about it on Friday."

"I didn't know all of the details on Friday. When I got back to work, Atwater said-"

"Atwater! Really, you're talking about me with Atwater now. Is he your little spy?"

"You intimidate him."

Erin snorts, "The only thing that intimidates him about me is the fact that I'm your daughter."

"Atwater said he was a little off."

"And you trust his opinion?"

"I do, especially when Halstead basically said the same thing."

Lindsay sits back in the chair. She uses her fork to pick around at her warm food. After taking a small bite of broccoli, she sighed, "Well, you'll be happy to hear that I ended our friendship."

"I am happy to hear that," Voight nods, picking up his fork to continue eating.

"If it were up to you, you would be happy if all of my friends were cops."

He swallows a bite, "I see nothing wrong with that."

"You're unbelievable." She stirs her mashed potatoes with her fork, "You know that, right?"

"It's just me and you kid; it's just me and you. We have to look out for each other."

Erin scoots up further towards the table, "I'm stubborn and you're stubborn, and two stubborn people will get nowhere. Let's call a truce…or at least try. You know I hate arguing with you."

"I love it when you see things my way," her dad grins.

"We haven't laid out the terms and conditions of our truce yet." Erin set her fork down and intertwined her hands, "What does it have to take for you to cut me a little slack?"

"What do you mean by a little slack?"

"My terms: I don't text you with updates about where I am, who I'm with and what time I'm leaving. You call before you show up at my apartment. You don't use the key without knocking first. You don't try to get the scoop on my life from Jay, Kevin, Kim or anyone…but me. If you have a question about my life, just ask me. And I want you to understand that I'm a young adult, I want privacy, I have secrets and some of the things I do, I don't want my dad of all people knowing about them. Now, what terms do I have to accept to get you to cut me some slack?"

Hank sets his fork down on a napkin. He's heard his daughter's conditions, and now it was up to him to lay down his terms. Voight sees the spark in her eyes. That spark, and that determination and passion will make her a great lawyer someday. She didn't back down so easily.

"I admire your tenacity." He comments, lifting up his glass to take a small sip of water, "I can call before showing up at your apartment and I will knock before using the key. As for text messages, how about instead of texting me when you arrive at each destination, you text me when you arrive at your first destination and when you arrive home for the night," she nods, she accepts his compromise, "I can't promise you that I won't turn to your friends, who work under me might I add, for information. I will try to respect your privacy and secrets, but if you tell people, there's a possibility that I'll find out, especially if those people work in Intelligence. Now," Voight leans forward, "the earlier terms I said that I'll agree to, I'll stick by them under one condition."

"I knew this was too good to be true. What is it?"

"I want to get an alarm system installed in your apartment."

Erin's brows furrow, "You are aware that there are cameras all throughout the inside of the apartment complex…and not to mention, the building has an around the clock security guard. When I wanted to move out, those were your two conditions. If I found a place that provided 24 hour surveillance and an around the clock security guard, you would let me move out and agree to pay for it. My building is safe dad."

"That incompetent security guard knows nothing. I hate that the last security guy left. He actually knew what he was doing."

"Dad-"

"That's my one term. I would personally feel better and cut you some slack if you let me get an alarm system installed…sometime this week or next week."

After careful consideration, and weighing the pros and the cons, Erin nods, "Okay fine, but only I will know the password."

"I'm perfectly okay with that."

Father and daughter resume their dinner. The remainder of dinner conversation is light and full of smiles and old stories. Hank mentions embarrassing childhood tales of Erin. He shares her favorite story of how he and her mother met. The two even make plans to watch Hank and Camille's wedding video next Sunday.

"I want Jay to come to the next dinner."

"I was actually hoping we could keep it between father and daughter for right now."

Lindsay completely understood. It was a family dinner. For years, it was always her, her parents and grandparents. After her grandparents passed away, it was just her and her parents. When her mother died, she and her father stopped having them, and now that they started back up, he wanted to enjoy the moment for what it's worth. He wanted to enjoy her presence and after thinking about it, she realized that she wanted to enjoy his.

"Yeah, I agree."

Moments after they finish dessert, Hank begins wrapping his daughter up some leftovers. She grabbed Tupperware to begin making his lunch for tomorrow, "Next week, let's have spaghetti and meatballs."

"That sounds great," her dad agrees.

"I don't want any pie," she stops him before he's able to cut her a slice, "The rest of that is for you. You can take a slice to work tomorrow."

Voight places the leftovers in a bag and extends it towards her, "Here you go."

"Thanks dad," she begins walking towards the front door and he's following close behind her, "Besides the tense conversation in the beginning of dinner, this night turned out great. I'm looking forward to next week." They're outside.

Tucker is parked across the street. His black car blends into the night. He tucks down low in his seat and cautiously peeks out of the window. They're standing at her car. Voight's hands are on her upper arms, and he leans forward to peck her forehead. Tucker could only visualize the day he gets an invite. It'll come eventually.

Erin opens her car door, and slides inside. Her dad's hand is holding the car door frame as he watches her strap in, "Call me when you get inside your apartment." He chuckles at the look on her face, "The terms start when the alarm system is installed." She's not going home. She's staying over her boyfriend's place. Her dad didn't need to know that. She'll just shoot him a text from Jay's apartment. Her bag of food is set on the floor of the passenger seat. And the moment she started her car, Voight shut the driver's side door. Tucker watches him…like really watches him. He can barely make out her father's features due to the dark night. Hank waves as his daughter backs out of the driveway. Tucker immediately lowers himself when he sees Voight's body briefly turn in his direction. Within seconds Voight waves it off and reenters his house.


	6. Anaphylactic Shock

Thursday night came fast for Erin, but it trudged by slowly for Tucker. Since he was looking forward to the day that Erin would see him as her hero again, it caused for time to go by excruciatingly slow. He missed her. He truly did. Tucker has never really experienced that feeling before…not when his parents died and not when he left the town he's called home for his entire life. After skipping Monday's class this week, he didn't get his moment to see her. He shot her a text saying that he couldn't make it to school because the auto repair shop had contacted him, wanting him to come in to discuss price. The text also included her promising him that he could copy her notes when she saw him on Thursday.

The days in the week consisted of rotating between her and Jay staying at her apartment and them staying at his. Tucker didn't appreciate it. Some nights he had to go without seeing her. Tucker didn't go to classes the whole week, however, he did make time to drive pass Erin's apartment, and park out front to watch the lights on inside. And not seeing her, didn't stop him from reaching out. He called her ten times on Monday, twice on Tuesday, three times on Wednesday and once today. Tucker sent her an estimated amount of four texts on Monday, none on Tuesday, five on Wednesday and none today. The class the two shared together was on both Mondays and Wednesdays. He had every intention to go to class, but the package came. The empty, epinephrine pen arrived in the mail that day. He was too excited to go to class. Tucker had to start getting together his plan for Thursday night. Last Thursday, before meeting up with Erin's friends at the club, she took him out to eat at one of her favorite restaurants. It's where he learned about her tree nut allergies when she had to make sure what she ordered didn't contain nuts or wasn't made anywhere near it. He pried for more information and he attained it. Her food allergy was severe enough that her doctor prescribed her a take home epi-pen.

On Monday, her boyfriend got off from work early and surprised her after class with lunch. They sat on the campus courtyard, she complained about one of her professors, he vented about a lying suspect, and they shared a nice, warm meal on a sunny, September day. On Tuesday, after her first two classes, she surprised her dad with lunch, and the pair discussed alarm companies. Her dad gave her a list of his top three. He wanted her to have one chosen by Sunday's dinner. When Wednesday came, she prepared dinner for her and Jay. Her signature dish just so happened to be his favorite. They ate together and watched a game on television.

By Thursday, her classes had flown by, and the moment she remembered Tucker was coming over, he was at the door. Walking lightly upon the hardwood floor, wearing comfy socks, shorts and a tank top, she took a peek through the peephole, before pulling the front door open, "By the look on my face, I hope you can tell that I'm not happy."

"Let's talk it out over some takeout." His hands are in his deep jacket pockets and his thumbs are nervously fiddling with the epi-pen in the right pocket and the small container of walnut sauce in the left.

"No," she turns down the offer and waves him inside, "I copied my notes for you." She points towards a closed folder sitting on top of the counter-bar, "You can take them when it's time for you to leave. This conversation shouldn't take long at all."

His eyes plead with her, "Come on Erin. I didn't want to be late and I'm hungry. I'll pay. And I'll let you do most of the talking. I've had a really long day and if I don't put food in my system, I'm going to pass out. I promise to leave right after we finish eating. Please. I'm begging you."

Erin has a heart. Call her what you want, but you can never call her heartless. She grabs her barely used house phone, and extends it to him, "Here. I want what I got last week." He takes the phone, "You're lucky I don't already have dinner plans."

"Thank you, and I promise, I'll let you do all of the talking."

"Oh, and I'm not waiting for the food to come to start giving you a piece of my mind."

Tucker takes a seat on her couch and dials the memorized number. He orders their usual. The 27 year old watches her pace behind the couch, behind him, until he glances back to face her. The house phone still pressed against his ear as he orders. She looked beautiful regardless of whether or not she was happy, sad or mad. From the look on her face, she looked as if she was fuming and frustrated. She was mad at him. He could tell. If there was anything holding him back from his plan, it all went away the moment he saw her angered face and heard her strained voice. The only way for her to enjoy his company is if he saves her. He hangs up the phone, "Can I use your bathroom?" He extends it towards her and she snatches it out of his palm.

Erin doesn't answer. She just nods her head. Tucker stands up from the couch and begins walking down the hallway. He reenters her bedroom and walks into her bathroom. He hated it. From his camera, he couldn't see what she and Jay did inside of it, but he was a smart man, he could assume. Tucker quickly closed and locked the bathroom door, hit the light and opened her medicine cabinet. He filled the epi-pen he ordered with water and switched it out with her real one. He pulls out a drawer and sets the real one inside. Tucker couldn't have her finding an epi-pen in his pocket. After flushing the empty toilet bowl, he turned on the faucet to wash his hands.

Tucker turned off the water, dried his hands on the hand towel, unlocked the door and pulled it open, finding Erin standing on the other side with her arms crossed, "You want me to like you, but you act like that?" She sees his confused face, "You need to stop texting and calling me. If I don't answer the first time, I'm not answering the second, the third or the fourth. The more you call me, the more it makes me not want to speak to you. Stop leaving me voicemails. If they're from you, I'm not checking them anymore. Stop trying to explain yourself to me through text, or email or Facebook messenger or IM. Just stop it! Stop it okay! Stop it because it's creepy and strange and completely unflattering. If you want friends and you want to be liked, then you need to cut out the weird bullshit." She releases a long breath she's been holding in.

"Okay," he nods, stepping outside of the bathroom.

She follows him back into the living room, "Okay? Is that really all you have to say?"

"I'm sorry. I'm not used to having friends. I don't know how this thing called friendship works! Honestly, I've never had one before and I don't know what crossing the line really is…not until someone tells me. I don't know what's acceptable with friendships. I don't know when's the right time to share secrets with friends, to hang out and gossip. I don't know when calling or texting becomes too much. I just wanted a friend. I wanted friendship. I see other people have it…and I guess I wanted it too."

Erin is quiet. She sees him walk around to take a seat on the couch. She's speechless. As stated before, Erin wasn't a heartless person. She sympathized. Some can call her naïve or gullible, but if someone used that against her then shame on them.

"I'm not apologizing for what I said."

He shakes his head, "You don't have to."

"…but I will apologize for how I said it. I came off a little strong."

"It's okay. I'm sorry too."

"It's just you come off really strong as well," she walks around to take a seat next to him on the couch, "we just met each other and I barely know you, so it comes across as a little creepy when you do stuff like that. From a person with friendship experience, you don't constantly call, text, or email someone you just met, especially when they tell you that they need a break. It's borderline stalking. If someone asks for space, give them space. If someone says leave them alone, you leave them alone. People don't just say these things to say them. We say them because we mean them. I mean everything I say. Am I making myself clear to you?"

He nods, "Yeah."

"Good," she brushes her hands over her knees, "I don't know how your life was in Indiana or how your small town did things, but we don't do those things here. I give people the benefit of the doubt all of the time, even when they screw me over, and I know it's a fatal flaw of mine, but I can't help it. I want to help people. It's one of the reasons why I'm in law school. I want to help the people who are overlooked in this city, in this country. I want to help the less fortunate…the people who innocently go to prison because they can't afford a competent lawyer. I want to help and part of helping is overlooking the bad so I can see and focus on the good. That's what I'm doing with you Tucker. I can tell you have a deep rooted past, and I don't care about it because it isn't any of my business. We're not our past mistakes. I would never hold them against you, but you really need to get your act together. You don't have friends, and to be honest, I can see why, and when I'm ready to deal with you, baggage and all, I'll reach out to you, but for right now, we should agree to be classmates, and that's all," Once she finishes, there is a knock on the door.

Tucker rises from the couch, digs into his pants pocket and pulls out his wallet. He couldn't believe it. Who exactly did she think she was to talk to him like that? He felt like a child being scolded by his parent. She made him seem like a creep; weak and humiliated. Erin remains sitting on the couch staring off into the distance. She hears small talk from the doorway as Tucker exchanges the money for their food. He brings the bag of food over, and starts pulling the containers out of the bag.

"I'm going to use the bathroom," Erin whispers, standing up from the couch, "plates are in the cabinet and water bottles are in the fridge."

"I'll eat out of the container." Tucker watches her disappear down the hallway. He had a few minutes, if that, to mix her food with the walnut sauce. He rushes to his feet, dug into his pocket carefully and pulled out the small container. He lifted the small lid and began pouring the contents into Erin's container of food. A few drops spilled onto his fingers, and he quickly closed the container lid and rushed into the kitchen to discard the small container.

Tucker hears the bathroom door open as he's washing his hands in the kitchen sink. He dries them on the hand towel, before opening the cabinet to grab two plates.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm getting plates." He smiles and shrugs, "I changed my mind."

Erin nodded and grabbed two water bottles from the refrigerator. She followed him to the couch, handed him a water bottle and takes a hold of one of the plates he brought over. Tucker slowly poured his food onto his plate and watched her as she did the same. Erin mixed her food together after pouring it onto the glass plate, "This smells amazing. I'm so hungry."

"I am truly sorry Erin for coming across so strong. It wasn't my intent." He continues as he watches her take a bite, "I'm not used to this…I'm not used to friendship. I've always wanted it, but I never knew how to go about it." He pauses to take a bite as she takes another one, "I have been told before that I come off really strong, but no one ever explained how. I never knew what I was doing wrong." Two bites follow, "I know I have issues just like everyone else, but people just gave up on me, they never tried to help me work them out. I never had a reason to work them out." Erin glances down at her meal for a brief second as he continues, "I want to though…work them out I mean because I don't want to lose you as a friend." She clears her scratchy throat, "I'll do what it takes. If it's space you need, I'll give you that. I promise."

Lindsay is no longer listening to him. He's staring down at his food as he continues to talk, but she's continually clearing her throat. Erin took a sip of water to cool her burning throat, "I'm sorry Tucker. I missed the last part of all of that." He nods and begins restating his earlier words. The 24 year old takes another bite of food, and the moment she swallows it, she drops her fork. She was so busy trying to listen to Tucker and being greedy that the taste of it didn't register. Tucker looked towards her the moment the fork hit the glass table, "This taste different."

"It's what you got when we ordered from there last Wednesday."

"Yeah," she's clearing her throat, and feels her face growing hot, "but it taste a little different."

Tucker turns to her. Her entire face is turning dangerously red. She's not panicking, at least not externally. Internally, she's freaking out. Tucker scoots closer to her, "Are you alright?" Seconds after posing his question, hive like rashes begin breaking out over her face and neck. He scoots in even more closely, "You don't look so good. Here," he lifts up her water bottle, "drink some water." Erin swats the water bottle away. It falls to the table and releases its contents over it.

Lindsay tries to speak, but she feels her throat closing up. She stands, and Tucker stands right after her. His hands are on her shoulders, steadying her balance. Erin opened her mouth to speak, but she could barely get words out. She was trying to tell him to grab her epi-pen. She was having an allergic reaction. Erin opened her mouth again, "epi…epi…my…pen." She sounds like she's croaking. Her hands grab at her throat.

Tucker knew what she wanted, but he played it off as if he didn't. He needed her to be on the brink of death. He wanted to swoop in at the last second to save her life. With his hands still wrapped around her upper arm, he presses for more, "I don't understand. What are you asking me Erin? What's wrong? What do you want? What do you need?"

"I can't…I can't breathe." Her voice is low, barely an audible whisper.

"You can't breathe," he knows it's time to step into action, "What do you need?"

Erin drops to her knees, "epi…epi…medicine cabinet…bathroom." Her voice is hoarse, but he understands. As her throat grows tighter, she feels him pick her up. He's taking large steps towards her bedroom. After placing her on the bed, hitting the lights and going into her bathroom, she waits the longest two seconds of her life until he reemerges. Tucker slides up beside her and she snatches the pen from his hands. She uses her mouth to rip off the cap, and within seconds she shoves it into her thigh. Fortunately Erin was wearing shorts and a tank top, exposing most of her skin, allowing direct access to her thigh.

The fear that Erin once hid was now clearly evident on her face as she realized it wasn't working. She throws the pen across the room as her throat tightens even more. Her face is as red and splotchy as a tomato. She reaches for Tucker's wrist and looks him in the eye, and then he saw it, she was absolutely horrified; her calm light brown eyes were now wide and filled with pain and discomfort, "I'll call an ambulance," he mutters as he reads her pleading eyes. He pulls his cell phone out and dials the three digit number.

As he informs the dispatcher of the address, he rushes into her bathroom. Her eyes are closed. Her breathing is ragged. He can tell there's a struggle there. Tucker grabs the real epi-pen and empties its contents into the sink. He departs her restroom, sets the real one down at the place she threw the fake one, and he pockets the one he ordered.

"…an ambulance is on its way."

"Hurry," his voice breaks, as his eyes watch an unconscious Erin, "please." When he hangs up the phone, he rushes to the kitchen. He sees her trash almost completely full. Grabbing the epi-pen, he sticks his hand as far into the middle of the trashcan as he possible could. He couldn't have it falling out and he definitely couldn't have someone stumbling upon it.

Tucker rushes to the kitchen sink, squirts soap into his hand and scrubs them under hot, steaming water, "She's going to be fine. She's going to be fine." He repeats over and over again, trying to desperately convince himself. He turns the faucet off, dries his hands before running back to Erin's side. He checks her pulse. It's weak…it's really weak. Maybe he waited too long to get her help. He should have timed it better. The 27 year old crawls onto the bed, and curls up beside her, "You'll be fine." His hand runs through her hair, "It's going to be okay. Everything is going to be okay." He pecks the corner of her lips, "I won't leave your side. I promise." He pecks her again. Tucker places his hand in hers as his head lays upon her shoulder, "I'll be with you every step of the way. I'll protect you. I'll save you. I'm your hero and I love you Erin." He smiles down at her, "I know you didn't mean what you said earlier. You didn't mean any of it. You probably only said it because of your dad and Jay. I forgive you though. I won't let them come between us. I promise." Tucker buries his face into the crook of her neck, "I didn't want to do this. You made me. This is your fault. If you had just dumped him, and loved me back, we would be happy, but you wanted to make things complicated. I'm not mad at you because I love you, but you can't do that again. I won't allow it. I promise you that. I won't allow it."


	7. Close Call

The Intelligence Unit burst through the entrance doors of the hospital. The hospital entrance is filled with injured people, nurses, and doctors each scrambling to find their desired location. Voight is searching, scanning the area for a familiar face, until he spots Maggie, typing along a computer behind the main desk, "Maggie, he rushes up to her with his team following close behind, "hey, Erin Voight, she was admitted half an hour ago. Where is she? Are there any updates?" The team was made aware of Lindsay's admittance after Will Halstead called his brother. At the time she was brought in Will didn't know many details. He just saw her being wheeled in on a gurney and the first person he thought to call was his brother, her boyfriend.

"Voight, Jay," Dr. Halstead calls out, jogging up to the detectives. At first he didn't know what happened, but in the thirty minutes it took them to leave work and get here, he found out.

"Will, what happened?" Jay's frantic. His eyes scan his brother's face for any source of news whether bad or good, "What's going on? You call and leave me a voicemail barely telling me any details besides saying Erin was brought into the hospital…what happened?"

His brother raises his hands to calm his younger sibling, "I just spoke to her attending doctor. Erin was in anaphylactic shock. When she got here, she was quickly administered a high dosage of epinephrine…at about 0.4 milliliters in the last 30 minutes. Every ten minutes her doctor administers more of the solution as needed."

"Anaphylactic shock…" Voight repeats, interrupting the doctor and tensely running his hand through his short hair, "Erin steers clear of tree nuts. She knows she's allergic. She won't even attempt to eat anything if she thinks it may have nuts in it."

"What else?" Jay cuts off Voight to receive the rest of the update on Erin's condition.

"When she was brought in, she was unconscious. Her doctor had to maintain airway patency because hers was almost completely blocked by the swelling in her throat. Erin is awake and stable, but her doctor wants to keep her here for a few days. Patients can go from being fairly stable to a state of extremis in a very short amount of time." Will hands Maggie a clipboard after he signs along a dotted line, "because of the delayed administration of epinephrine injection, we want to monitor just in case she has a biphasic reaction. We'll keep her here between 48 and 96 hours, and then we'll want her to be monitored outside of the hospital for at least 24."

"She…she…can we see her?" Hank decides to stop rambling. It didn't make sense to him. His daughter accidentally ate the one thing that could kill her. She was more cautious than that.

"…of course."

Dr. Halstead waves for four visitors to follow him. The four that stepped forward were Voight, Jay, Burgess and Olinsky. The remainder of the team headed towards the waiting room. Will is leading the group until they approach a closed door, "Only five people can visit the room at a time. Her one visitor came with her in the ambulance. He was with her when it happened, and moments before the paramedics showed up, she stopped breathing and he started chest compressions until the EMTs arrived. He hasn't left her side since."

"Who?" Jay questions.

Will opens the door, "Him."

"Kid," Voight sighed in relief, ignoring Tucker's presence as he raced over to his daughter's bedside. Her hives were slowly disappearing, but her face was still swollen and covered in red splotches. As she tries to sit up, he scans her with his worried eyes. Hank brushes his hand across her forehead, checks the back of her head for any injuries, and looks over her arms and legs for any sign of discomfort.

"Dad," her voice was still hoarse as she swatted him away, "I'm fine."

"People who are fine do not end up in the hospital Erin," he retorted, continuing his assessment of her physical wellbeing. Voight ignores Tucker's presence. He barely even notices him. In his peripheral, he can see Jay on Erin's other side, holding her hand, soothingly rubbing circles into her back. Hank was no doctor, but that didn't stop him from continuing his assessment.

"I'm really okay dad."

Voight grabs her head and presses his lips against her forehead, "What happened?" He didn't care about the current red marks or the hives on her face. She's his little girl. She'll always be beautiful.

"We ordered from the takeout place I usually get my food from," Erin sees Olinsky and Burgess at the foot of her bed, "I got the same thing I always get…maybe the food was cross-contaminated with another food dish that had some kind of tree nut in it. I've ordered from there for years. This has never happened before…"

"I can make a stop pass there," Olinsky offers to which Voight nods in agreement.

"Al, no. It was an accident," she averts her eyes from Olinsky to her father, "How were they supposed to know?"

"They should have been more aware! If someone says, no nuts, or orders a dish without nuts, they should make sure no freaking nuts are in it!" Her father was not in the mood to argue, especially with her.

"…that's the thing…I didn't see any nuts."

Tucker remains quiet. He shifts in his seat as he hears Jay speak, "What about your epi-pen?"

"Oh right, what happened with that?" Voight is looking hard into his daughter's eyes. He won't be satisfied until he got answers and someone paid for their mistake.

"I…I don't know. It didn't work." Her throat is sore. And her voice is extremely hoarse.

"It didn't work," Hank repeated to make sure he heard her right, "Your epi-pen, the thing designed to save you in situations like today did not work?" She nods.

"I injected it into my thigh, but nothing happened. I still couldn't breathe."

"Will, why didn't her epinephrine pen work?" He asks the doctor, but his eyes remain on his daughter. He's running his hand through her disheveled hair.

"I'm not sure." Will nervously answers as he makes his way to the door, He grabs the door knob and looks at Erin, "I want you to bring it in when you get a chance so we can have our lab run tests on it. It's weird that it didn't work."

The doctor departs, leaving Erin lying down vulnerably in her hospital bed, surrounded by loved ones and friends. Her father takes a hold of the chair Olinsky offered him, and sat down beside her, "I knew you should have had your backup epi-pen. Leaving one at my house does you no good. You have two for a reason!"

"I figured just in case I was at your house, I'll have one there."

Voight takes a hold of her hand, "This is…this is serious Erin. Any second later and you could be dead. You could have died! You look-"

"…choose your words carefully dad."

Hank smiles and pecks the back of his daughter's hand, "I'm moving in with you."

"What? Dad, no!"

"It's only temporary." He quickly responds, feeling her pull her hand out of his, "You'll be here for a few days, and then you'll go home where you'll need someone to look after you. The red marks and your swollen throat will take a few days to go down and I have to make sure your symptoms don't all come back."

"Can't Jay stay with me?" She tugs on her boyfriend's hand desperately.

"Sorry kid, I'll worry myself to death if I don't have my own eyes on you." Hank's shoulders shudder at the sight of her reddened lips, "…besides he has work."

"What about Burgess?"

"She works too."

"Dawson, Ruzek, Atwater, Mouse, Platt…dad, anyone but you."

Tucker clears his throat, "I…I can stay."

Erin and the group of officers turn to face the young man in the room. Most of them had completely forgotten about his presence. Lindsay sees Tucker rise from his seat and approach her bed, "On second thought dad," she turns to her father and attempts to smile through her swollen lips, "…maybe it's a good idea if you stay, you know, it never hurts to bond with my dad."

"I'm glad our arguing was kept at a minimum this time."

"Yeah, and we need to discuss alarm systems anyway."

"I'm going to go find your doctor. I want to hear about a recovery plan."

"Dad, I'm fine," she shouts as he begins to walk away.

"I'll come with you," Olinsky offers, trailing behind Voight.

Both Hank Voight and Alvin Olinsky had overlooked Tucker. At the moment, they both had more important things to worry about. Currently, meeting Erin's friend was one of the last things on their mind. Burgess approached her friend's bedside, "I should go out there and update the guys. They're worried. They'll be happy to hear that you're up and talking. And not to mention, back to driving your father insane." Erin chuckles as Kim gives her a brief hug, "I'm glad you're okay. I'll be back to visit you." Erin gives her best friend a reassuring squeeze of the hand before she walked away, leaving her in the room with Jay and Tucker.

"Climb in with me," she carefully and cautiously slid over enough for Jay to slide into the uncomfortable hospital bed, "I can't believe I stupidly ate tree nuts."

Her head is lying upon his chest, "You didn't know."

"I should have though," she whispered, her hoarse voice almost muffled by her sore throat, "I order from there all of the time Jay. I get the exact same thing. I should have known that it tasted different. I should have known that something wasn't right."

Tucker watched the intimate moment shared between Erin and Jay. He watched her boyfriend wrap his arms around her, and peck her red and splotchy forehead. He watched his hands slide up and down her arms in comfort as he gently rocked her in his hold, "You scared me."

"I scared myself," she admitted. She was vulnerable. It was a vulnerability that Tucker has never seen before. He had always wanted to connect with someone enough to share that helplessness.

"What made you even order out? You still had leftovers from last night's dinner."

Erin opens her mouth to answer, but she spots Tucker. She sees him intently staring in on her conversation with Jay. His silence made him invisible. She had forgotten he was even in the room. After wrapping her arms around Jay's waist, she gently cleared her throat enough to not cause it to ache even more, "Tucker, I kind of want to talk to my boyfriend privately."

He got the hint. "Oh," he rises from his seat, "yeah, of course." He nods his head and moves the chair back up against the wall, "just give me a call Erin."

"I don't think that's a good idea." Jay remains silent as he listens to Erin continue, "I meant what I said earlier today. This doesn't change anything."

"…but I saved you. I'm your hero Erin."

"You did a great thing by getting me help, but I can't deal with you and all that comes with being your friend right now. I need to focus on myself and getting better."

He repeats himself, "…but, I'm your hero."

"Dude, just relax," Jay interrupted the conversation as Tucker prepares to plead. He saw the wide eyes of Tucker as he stepped towards the hospital bed, "She wants space, give her space. If she ever wants to be friends again, she'll let you know, but for right now, she doesn't…so just leave. If you care about her as much as you act like you do, you'll leave her alone."

"I might not be there the next time your life is in danger," he's rocking back and forth on his feet.

"I think I'll manage."

He stops before exiting the door, "You're welcome."

"Excuse me," she turns her head slowly to meet his eyes, "I didn't hear what you said."

"I said you're welcome…you know for saving you back there, for not letting you die, for being your hero once again. I said you're welcome because it's the polite thing to say. It shows I have manners. I saved you when no one else was around; not your father and definitely not your boyfriend. So, you're welcome Erin." He calms down and relaxes, "I'll see you later."

"He'll see you later?" Jay repeats Tucker's last words.

"No he won't," she whispers turning back to face her boyfriend.

Jay tightened his hold around her as he laid back. His hands brushed the free strands spilling out of her loose, barely existent ponytail. Her breathing was soft, and the beeping of the machines kept him calm. With the constant beep, he knew she was going to be okay.

"Jay," Erin's voice is a whisper and if the room wasn't silent –minus the machines- he might not have heard her. He takes a glance down but her eyes are focused elsewhere. She's fiddling with the bottom hem of his shirt, "I order from there all of the time. I'm a regular. I get the exact same thing every time I go. This has never happened before." Her voice sounds fragile. It was a mixture of sadness, the threat of tears and the light swelling in her throat.

"What are you getting at?"

"I don't know," she shrugs, scratching at the IV connecting her upper thigh to the epinephrine drop slowly releasing itself into her body every ten minutes, "I haven't been thinking clearly lately…maybe it's good that my dad's staying with me for a few days. I try to play adult and I end up in the hospital after almost killing myself."

"You didn't almost kill yourself," he tries to comfort.

"You weren't there," her voice cracks as she sits up, "You didn't see me Jay," she turns her body to face him, being mindful of the IV connecting to her leg, "I couldn't breathe. My throat was closing. I was hot and breaking out into hives. I couldn't talk. I couldn't communicate with Tucker to let him know that I needed help."

"All he had to do was take one look at you to know…it doesn't take a rocket scientist."

"I lost consciousness. I really thought that I was going to die…and I got mad at myself."

"Why?"

"…because I'm all my dad has left. I always talk about how I can take care of myself and then something like this happens. If Tucker wasn't there…"

"If Tucker wasn't there then none of this would have happened."

"What do you mean?" She pulls the falling ponytail holder out of her hair.

"He's the reason why you even had takeout in the first place, isn't it?"

"How did you know?"

"You asked him to leave when I asked. I'm guessing it's because you didn't want him to feel even guiltier than he's feeling right now."

"Tucker is not a friend…he's far from it, and he's going through something right now. I can't let him blame himself for something he didn't do."

"It doesn't sound like he's blaming himself for that though," Jay shrugs, leaning back on the bed, "You don't have to worry about him feeling like it's his fault that this happened…if anything he thinks it's his fault that you're okay."

"…because it is. Whether I like it or not, he saved me."

Jay pulled her back into his arms, "Don't let him weasel himself back into your life just because he played hero again. I'm thankful for what he did, but don't let him use that to guilt you into being his only friend again Erin. You felt off about him for a reason. Trust your gut. You ended the friendship. Leave it at that."

After Tucker steps out of Erin's hospital room, he storms irritably down the hospital corridor. This was not how he planned for it to work out. She was supposed to be kicking everyone else out of the room, not him. He was the love of her life and she needed to act like it. He saved her! He was her hero! What gave her the right to kick him out and find comfort in her boyfriend? Her boyfriend wasn't there to protect her, he was! Erin seems to keep forgetting that.

"Dear stupid cupid," he mutters to himself, eyeing her father talking to her doctor, "you have to shoot both people dumbass!" Tucker brushes his hands together and sucks in a large breath as he approached the intimidating Hank Voight, "Excuse me sir."

Hank holds up a finger, "Wait a minute." Voight turns back to the doctor and listens as the physician informs him and Olinsky about Erin's prognosis and her path to recovery.

"I'm Tucker and I-"

"I said wait a minute," Hank growls, eyes focused on the doctor, "Continue Dr. Choi." Ethan listened and continued in on updating the patient's father on her condition. Voight wanted to stay informed and make sure he understood everything. This is the first time Erin has ever suffered from an allergic reaction. Before, he and Camille were always cautious. They forced her to take her epi-pens everywhere just in case. They sent lists of food she couldn't eat to her school, to her friends' houses and to any activity she participated in. Camille had trained their daughter to not even eat any food from anyone if she wasn't 100% sure it didn't contain tree nuts. Now that Erin will be staying in the hospital for at most the next four days, he had to understand what to do and how to care for her the second she is released into his safekeeping.

After Dr. Choi was called away to attend to another emergency patient, Olinsky gave his best friend a comforting squeeze of the shoulder. He promised to pay the take out restaurant a visit on his way home before he bid his close friend a see you tomorrow.

"Now what is it that you want that was so important you couldn't wait a few minutes?" Voight turned to face Tucker. The two were the exact same height. Hank intimidatingly glared into the 27 year old's eyes, testing to see if he backed down or wavered.

"I wanted to introduce myself to you." He extends his hand, "I'm Tucker Rhodes, Erin's best friend and classmate."

Voight doesn't take his hand. He ignores it, "Tucker…I've heard about you."

"Erin talks about me."

"No, not really…" Hank's words wiped the smile off of the young man's face, "now what can I help you with?"

"I just wanted to let you know that I'm happy Erin is okay and I'm about to leave."

Tucker hesitated as he turned around. He didn't want for his first meeting with the love of his life's father to end on such a low note. The young man took one step away before he heard Voight's voice, "Wait," he hears the man approach him from behind, "you helped my daughter."

"I did sir." Tucker turns around, sporting a bright and confident smile.

Hank extends his hand, "Thank you."

"It was my privilege." Tucker shakes it. He was finally getting his recognition and from Lindsay's father of all people.

"I think I'll have a long night here." Hank tucked his hands into his jacket pockets, "Can I buy you a cup of coffee?"

"Yes…sure…yeah…I mean thank you."

Voight cracks a smile. It always sparked a chuckle inside of him when he managed to intimidate and frighten those involved in his daughter's life. It always put them on edge. He knew it'll ensure that they'll never double-cross her in any capacity. Tucker Rhodes silently followed behind Voight, stepped into the elevator and allowed him to press the ground floor button. Rhodes wasn't used to the city or the location at all. He didn't know where anything was in this hospital. Hank holds the door open and allows Tucker to walk through first.

When Tucker learned things about Voight, it made him feel even closer to Erin. He learned that her father takes his coffee black. He doesn't like sugar, milk or cream added. It being poured straight into the mug, hot and dark, was perfect.

"So what brought you over to Erin's place?" Voight pried, handing the cashier enough money to take care of both of their cups of coffee.

"We were having a talk."

"About?" Voight leads him back into the hallway. They're heading back upstairs. Hank didn't want to be too far from Erin, just in case something happened.

"You know…the normal stuff."

"No, I don't know." Voight side-eyes him as they wait for the elevator, "Actually I'm a bit confused and I was actually hoping you could clear some things up for me."

"I can try." The elevator doors opened and they step inside.

"Erin told me on Sunday that you and her weren't friends."

Tucker shakes his head, "I think you misunderstood."

"Did I?"

Tucker leans against the railing in the elevator as it begins going up, "What Erin meant to say was that she was mad at me for a brief moment, but she got over it."

"No, I think if Erin wanted to say that then she would have said that. One thing I know about my daughter is she doesn't need people speaking for her. She gets her point across perfectly fine." When Voight speaks, he doesn't face Tucker. He doesn't care about eye contact right now. Hank is just patiently watching as the elevator goes up floor after floor.

Tucker was intrigued. He was interested in the Voight family. They were definitely forces to be reckoned with. While Erin had his heart, her father had his curiosity. He was definitely a mystery. One moment he's thanking Tucker and buying him coffee, and the next, he's casually asking him questions about him and Erin's relationship.

"We had a pause on our friendship."

"That doesn't explain to me why you were over her apartment." Voight blows over the coffee lid. The steam from the coffee blew up into the air.

Tucker shrugs, "We wanted to talk."

"About what?" Voight presses on. He's a sergeant. He has raised a daughter. He knows about asking the right questions.

"Our friendship."

"What about it?" Hank continued to push as the elevator doors opened.

"I don't think that's any of your business."

"Anything involving Erin is my business." Voight corrects him quickly. Most people in Erin's life who are absolutely close to her are aware of her relationship with her dad, "About what?" He's super protective. He has always been overly protective about the people he loves. Erin was his last living relative and his daughter nonetheless. He would die protecting her if it came to that. She was his responsibility, no matter how old and independent she got.

Tucker is a bit nervous not to answer, "I kept checking up on her. I worry about her. I just wanted to make sure she was okay. I just came off a little too strong."

"But you brought the food over?"

"No sir."

"How did the food get to her apartment?" Voight wasn't going to stop asking questions until everything, every detail and aspect made sense in his head.

"We ordered."

"Who?"

"I ordered for the both of us. I treated."

Hank sets his cup down onto the receptionist desk, "And you didn't think to tell them no nuts and to cook far away from tree nuts."

"Well, I saved her."

"I'm not usually the person Erin runs to introduce her friends to…she says I have a way of making them not come back." Voight is smiling. And it's actually creeping Tucker out.

"Oh."

"Well let's hope that's true because I don't want to see you anywhere near my daughter again."

The smile on Tucker's face drops, "…but I saved her."

"And I am grateful for that," Hank pats his shoulder, "but you see Tucker, I don't trust you. And without my trust, they'll be no type of relationship with her. Am I understood?"

"Yes."

"Good, now enjoy your coffee, I have to check on my kid." Hank pushes him carefully towards the main entrance of the hospital. He watched the doors slide open as Tucker stumbled through them. With a good grip on his coffee cup, Tucker gathered his balance and continued to walk. He would hang outside the hospital all night if he had to. He wasn't planning on leaving Erin's side. She was the love of his life. He couldn't just leave her no matter what her father said. For someone to claim they love and know Erin so much, Tucker would have thought her father would be the first one to realize her feelings for him. They weren't as close as he thought. Tucker approaches an outside bench and takes a seat. It's comfortable enough to sit, wait and sleep if need be. He wouldn't be leaving until Erin's safely discharged.

Voight glanced over his shoulder one last time before continuing down the hallway. He wanted to hear from Tucker about what happened before he went to talk with his daughter. She was careful. Erin may put herself in vulnerable situations every once in a while, but it's never intentional. This though… This never happens. She's careful when it comes to what she eats. She has to be. It's literally life or death and Voight won't be content until he has someone to blame.

He approaches the outside of her room, knocks gently before pushing the door open. Hank sees her and Jay cuddled together on her hospital bed. Normally he would make a comment, but he doesn't today. His daughter needs it.

"She just fell asleep." Jay whispers as he watches the rise and fall of Erin's chest. To comfort himself, he has to watch. It ensures him that she's still alive and breathing.

"Did she tell you anything?"

Jay's hand is affectionately running through her hair, "She blames herself."

"I guess I can always talk to her when she wakes up," Voight walks further inside, grabs the chair he sat in earlier and slides it over to the bed, "Dr. Choi told me she got here right on time. A second later could have…" Voight can't even finish the sentence, "I met that Tucker guy." Hank decides it's best to change the subject. He didn't want to think about what could have happened in a split second, he wanted to focus on what did.

"What do you think?"

Hank shrugs, "Something doesn't sit right with me about the guy, but something doesn't sit right with me about a lot of guys. He definitely wants my acceptance, but most people do, it's just…he kept using what happened to Erin to get it." Voight takes a hold of his daughter's hand, "I don't like that. I don't appreciate that. Don't use my daughter to try and win me over. It'll never work. I told him to stay away."

"Do you think he'll listen?"

Voight shakes his head, "No…not at all, but I want to see how he reacts. From what you've told me and my first conversation with the guy, he's stupidly persistent. I don't think even a warning from me will discourage him from seeing my daughter."

"What should we do?"

"Nothing," Hank shakes his head, "the guy hasn't done anything wrong. He hasn't broken any laws. He hasn't crossed any inappropriate lines. I take it that he really cares about what me and Erin think of him. He really wants to be in her life. I don't think he'll do anything to jeopardize that. He's stupid, but let's hope he's not that stupid."

"So we do nothing?"

"Yes, Erin was right about one thing. I have a way of getting rid of her friends. I don't trust any of them. I warned Tucker off, but if he stays…I can't arrest the guy. Maybe Erin is right," Hank glances down at his daughter, "maybe I should start treating her like an adult…maybe I should start letting her make her own decisions and learn from her own mistakes."

"But Tucker-"

"Just because I agreed to give her space –after she's better I should add- doesn't mean I won't be around. I'll cut her some slack. She's in charge of her life, but the moment Tucker or anyone else step out of line, I'm involved again. This was a close call. This shouldn't have happened…and someone is going to be held responsible for it."


	8. Backwards Glance

**This is a pretty long chapter, mostly due to the fact that I didn't know where to cut it off at, so I hope you guys enjoy.**

 _Sunday:_

Erin comes home tomorrow. They all felt her apartment was the best place. Hank would stay with her. She's going to stay at her apartment so she'll have everything she could possibly need. Erin's been away from home for four days and she absolutely missed it. The day after her health scare her dad wanted to discuss alarm systems. He wanted the system installed in by the time Erin returned home. His daughter gave him the power to choose which system. After the events of Thursday night, she wasn't up for it. The doctors were still monitoring her, and after a quick moment of relapse that only caused for her hives to reappear, she didn't want to think about anything else but getting better.

Voight had chosen an alarm company that was number one on his list. It had provided a burglar alarm with the necessary sensors to detect an intrusion on her front door, windows and any motion within her home. It was used mostly for when she was out of her apartment. The motion sensor was sensitive, and if she were to put it on when she was home, she could cause it to go off. However, there was an option to purchase the expanded package which allowed for the home owner to decide whether or not to turn the motion detector on when the alarm was activated. The company received great reviews. Hank was happy and content the day the installer met him outside of Erin's apartment.

"I'm Mike. Are you the client?"

Voight unlocked his daughter's front door, "No, I'm the client's father. She's currently busy at the moment. I'm here to be with you as you install the alarm."

"She has to set a code and an emergency password."

"I'll see her later today. I'll have her call the agency in order to set up a code."

Hank sat on his daughter's couch with his feet propped up onto his daughter's coffee table. He rested back, and closed his eyes as he listened to the installer mount her burglar alarm against the wall next to her front door. He knew it was going to take a few hours. He had placed Olinsky in charge until he made his way back to work later today. However just because he wasn't at the precinct didn't mean he didn't know what was going on. Olinsky sent him text updates about their current investigation.

As another hour ticked by, Voight speed dialed Jay's cell. She had left her phone at home so Halstead decided to leave his with her. When Voight first got to her apartment, he had turned it off and stuck it into her end table draw beside her bed. It would stay there until she returned. He waited patiently and sighed contently when she answered after the third ring, "What took you so long? You're in a hospital bed…you can't be doing much."

"I was in the bathroom. What's up?"

"I'm at your apartment. Your alarm is being installed."

"How long until you get back here with food?"

Voight checked his watch, before looking up at Mike, "Excuse me…"

The man turned back to glance at Voight, "Yes sir."

"How much longer do you think this will take?"

"…Uh…about one more hour"

"Did you hear him?" Voight smirked, focusing back on his phone call.

"Would you spare Jay for an hour to bring me food?"

Voight nods, "His lunch break should be coming up."

"Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I'll see you when you get here." Before Voight could respond, she hangs up. He chuckles to himself as he lowers his phone.

Hank glances up to see Mike quietly connecting wires and sensors throughout her apartment. They were barely visible to the eye. Voight was uninterested in the entire process. He watched Mike adjust something from behind the bookshelf, "Sir," he calls out, not knowing Voight's name, "I believe I'm finished."

"Oh great," Voight stands up, and extends his hand, "Thank you."

Mike shakes his hand, "There were a few wires back there connecting to something that an inexperienced person obviously did…I just reconnected them. Whatever it connects to should work better now."

"My daughter probably tried to put something together." Voight jokes, walking the installer to the door, "Your employer should be getting a call today from my daughter about the code and password."

Once Mike left, Hank turned around to take in her apartment. Yesterday, he and Jay, had come to Erin's place to clean up for her arrival on Monday. The food was still out. Water was spilt all over the coffee table. Jay took out her trash and the unfinished takeout food. Voight collected and bagged the epi-pen he spotted on the floor of her bedroom. Jay vacuumed. Hank dusted. The two got the place spotless in preparation for her return the next day.

Earlier today, Hank made a stop pass the grocery store. He had brought all of his daughter's favorites and stuffed her fridge with snacks and water. He also brought ingredients to make chicken noodle soup for her healing throat. It was something to put on her stomach while minimizing the pain of swallowing. After putting away the groceries, Voight ran home. He packed a bag to last him throughout the week, and placed his luggage inside of her coat closet. He and Erin were definitely going to drive each other crazy, but as long as he can take care of her and watch her, he's fine with it. He's her dad. She's his daughter. They're supposed to drive each other crazy…that is the way it's supposed to be.

 _Monday:_

Erin is on her way back home after spending four long days in a hospital. She's in the passenger seat of Jay's car. He had taken off work to pick her up and spend the rest of the day with her. After opening the car door, and helping her out, she swatted him away, "I'm fine Jay. Otherwise, they wouldn't have released me. I'm okay."

"I can't help it."

Lindsay waves at the around the clock security guard as she makes her way pass the security office. She grabs the railing of the staircase and begins making her way up four flights, "This building should really invest in having an elevator."

"You're out of breath after four flights of stairs."

She chuckles, "I'm still getting my breathing back from Thursday." Erin pulls out her keys and unlocks the front door. She pushes the door in and the first thing she sees is a burglar alarm installed in the wall beside the door.

"To set the alarm you type your code in and press the green button right afterwards. If you want to turn it off, you type your code in and press the red. If someone forces you to type the code in to stop the alarm, you type the code in and press cancel. It'll stop the blaring, but a silent alarm will be sent to the police." Her dad voices the instructions as he approaches his daughter and Jay.

Erin spots an opened suitcase lying on her couch. She recognizes some of the contents inside of it. It belongs to her dad. Her dad staying with her for the week has just become real. It's a reality. She hasn't lived with her dad since her freshman year of college. This should be interesting.

"It's just until you're back on your feet and feeling good." Hank could read her face, "The doctor's orders are to rest," he takes her overnight bag from Jay, "Won't you go lie down?"

The 24 year old doesn't argue. She is a little exhausted. After being confined to a hospital room, where she only gets up to go to the cafeteria three times a day or to use the restroom, she was exhausted. Erin actually was looking forward to lying in her own queen-sized bed.

"I'm about to make some chicken noodle soup. It'll be done by dinnertime."

"Thanks daddy," she whispers, wiping her exhausted eyes. Her feet slid against the carpet, kicking off one shoe halfway to her room, and the other shoe once she walked into her bedroom. Her sweats and t-shirt were good enough to sleep in. Erin crawled onto her side of the bed. Jay closed the door behind him and crawled in beside her. He smiled as she snuggled up against his body. Her eyes remained closed as one leg wrapped around his, "I was terrified," he brushed the tips of his fingers up and down her back, "When Will called, we were at work. Dawson and I were interrogating a suspect and when I went back to my phone I had seen I had a voicemail. When I listened and heard the panic in his voice, I froze. He didn't know what was wrong because as he's on the phone with me, he's following your gurney trying to listen to what the paramedics were saying. I couldn't listen to the rest of the voicemail. I had to get to the hospital."

She's breathing softly, "What did you think had happened?"

"I knew you were meeting Tucker that night…and to be honest, I thought he had something to do with it. I was convinced until I heard you suffered from an allergic reaction."

"I still think about that day…wondering how I didn't notice it. It didn't smell different. I don't remember whether it tasted different. For something as serious as my allergic reaction is, I should have been more careful. This should have never happened."

Silence falls between the couple. She can hear soft music being played from the living room. Her dad normally listened to music as he cooked. It reminded her of the good, old days. Her parents would cook and occasionally break out into a couple's dance as she watched or laughed or called them gross for being all cute in the kitchen. As Erin reopens her eyes, after minutes of realizing that she can't fall asleep, she takes in Jay. His breaths are even. His chest is rising and falling every few seconds. He's asleep.

Erin sits up, carefully pulls her leg from being draped over Jay's leg. She extends her arm towards the end table and slides open the drawer. She had been away from the public world for four days. The only people she talked to were the people who knew Jay's number. Erin grabbed her cell, readjusted herself up against her boyfriend once more, and turned the phone back on. Lindsay immediately silenced her phone as notification after notification popped in. Over the span of four days, she had three missed calls from Kim, two from Ruzek, one from Mouse and Roman, four from Olinsky, three from Platt, and two from Dawson. All of their calls were dialed before Jay left her his cell. It was before any of them knew she didn't have her cell phone on her. They were calling to check in or to see if she wanted them to bring her anything to the hospital.

None of their calls stood out to her. It was Tucker's calls that furrowed her eye brows, had her bite against her upper lip, and snuggle herself tighter against Jay. Over the duration of four days, Tucker had called Lindsay 49 times, leaving 37 voicemails and 51 unread text messages. Erin wasn't up for it. She needed a break. She did a bulk delete on every call, voicemail and text before shutting off her phone. Her dad would wake them when dinner was ready.

 _Tuesday:_

Erin is sitting on the couch, eating a warm bowl of soup as she and her father watch some old western movie on television. Her cell is next to her. As she's in and out of the movie, she mentally debates whether or not to turn her phone back on. The last time she turned it on was yesterday after deleting Tucker's calls, voicemails and text messages.

"This is my favorite part," Voight is grinning from ear to ear as the protagonist rides in on his horse, "This is such a good movie." She couldn't help but smile at her dad's excitement. Hank rarely got happy about anything. It was good to see him laid back, happy and relaxed for a chance. She smirks at his favorite part as his eyes focus in on the next scene.

Lindsay votes to turn her phone on…maybe Kim called her or she received an email back from one of her professors. Commercial rolls in, and her father gets up, "I'll make you some tea."

"Dad, you don't have to."

"I'm here to take care of you, remember?"

It's all he said as he goes into the kitchen. At least if the movie came back on, he can still watch it from the kitchen. When her phone fully came alive, she saw her silent notifications going off. Each notification came from Tucker. He was adamant about speaking to her. The 49 missed calls from yesterday were long gone and in its place were 73. She had 62 voicemails and 79 unread text messages. She decides to read his latest message. It's checking up on her to make sure she's fine. Lindsay sets her bowl down upon the table, as she types back a quick response. I'm fine. I'm resting. I need space from the world. Those were the few words she text to Tucker. Hopefully it got the message across.

With her phone still in her hand, she chose to check her email. Erin needed to see if any of her professors had emailed her back, excusing her absences. She skimmed the subject header of each email. Her teachers accepted her doctor's note, excused her absences, and wished her well. Now she could focus on getting better. As Lindsay was seconds from logging out she noticed a long stream of emails. Mentally counting them, she got to 29 before there were no more to count. They were all unread emails from Tucker. He signed each one, and the email subjects were all the same. She couldn't read them. She swiped to the left and deleted each message.

"What's with the long face?" Erin looked up as her father reentered the living room.

"Oh, it's nothing," she shoves her cell phone back into her pocket.

He hands her the cup of tea, "Would you honestly tell me if it were something?" He flopped down beside her on the couch.

"It depends on how serious it is."

Voight nods, "I can accept that answer."

Hank Voight feels his cell phone vibrate inside his pocket. With Olinsky in charge today, he had told everyone to call only if there was an emergency. He didn't want his time with his daughter interrupted. Hank dug into his jeans, and pulled out his cell, "I just got a text."

"Oooo what does it say?" Erin sets down her cup of tea.

He hands it to his daughter, "I won the Sergeant of the Year award."

"Dad, that's great!' She throws her arms around his shoulders, "Congratulations!"

"Thanks."

Erin sits back, and turns her body to face him, "You don't seem too happy about it."

"I'm grateful," Voight shrugs, the Western on the television long forgotten, "I'm just not the type of person who needs an award to do my job. I don't do my job for this reason."

"I think that's why everyone knows you deserve this," she pats his shoulder, "When is the ceremony? Of course you know I'll be there."

"It's not until October."

"October starts next week," she reminds, opening the text message up, "It's two weeks from Saturday. This is exciting! I'll have to go shopping to get the perfect dress. All of the dresses in my closet are not appropriate for this type of event. I'll sit front row and applaud you." Erin hands him his cell phone back, "My dad is sergeant of the year."

Tucker watched from his bedroom, a clear image of Erin and her father talking. She had seemed more enthused than him. Since the alarm was put into her home, the visual image on his camera became much better. There were no pixelated images or freezing screens. He could watch her perfectly in real time. On Sunday, Tucker had watched Voight and the man hired to install the burglar alarm. He was a little nervous that they'll discover his cameras, but the only thing found by the installer was his crossed wires to which he fixed. Watching her talk with her dad caused for Tucker to remember his first time ever seeing her. It was during the process of him transferring to this university. A few weeks before the bike incident, days before he actually officially met her, he had to come to the school, take a personal tour and then register for classes before going back to Indiana, allowing weeks to pass until moving to Chicago for good. On that day, Erin was in the registrar's office catching up with the student receptionist who was a second year in law school. Tucker was there for the simple purpose of registering for courses.

The 27 year old remembered being mesmerized by her dimples that pierced her cheeks anytime she smiled, her animated expression that earned the undivided attention of anyone participating in the conversation and how when she excitedly talked about something, she used her hands to annunciate her point. She was truly beautiful; magnificent, so full of life with such innocence shining through her bright and hopeful eyes. He needed someone like that in his life. It was at that moment Tucker realized that he wanted to be a part of her life permanently.

 _Wednesday:_

Erin enjoys having the apartment to herself. She didn't realize how much she enjoyed me time until she didn't have it. Her dad had work and he wouldn't be back until much later. She would probably be asleep by then. Her hives are completely gone, but her face still remains shaded by a little red in some places. The remainder of the week, she wouldn't have to herself. She had to enjoy the quiet moments while she had them.

Lindsay hears someone knock at her front door. She sits her bowl of cereal down onto the countertop bar as she walks towards it; "Coming…" she takes her time. She's in no rush. Erin wasn't expecting any company and most people knew to call her before stopping by. She approached the door and took a peek through the peephole. No one was there.

Her brows furrowed as she typed in the alarm code. Her dad made her set it after he left for work. Once she hit the red button, she unlocked the front door and pulled it open. No one was there. However, a small package rested in front of her feet. She stooped low to pick it up, "Hey Eric, did you leave this for me?" The around the clock security guard was making his rounds.

"No, I actually just got to your floor. I didn't see who left it."

Erin rips off the wrapping paper as Eric approaches. He's just as curious about it as she is. He pulls his keys out and hands them to her, "Maybe you have a secret admirer."

She uses the key to cut the box open, "I doubt it." Erin smiled. Eric was a sweet man in his late forties. He lived and worked in the building. It was a nice setup he had. She hands him back his keys as she opens the box further. The young Voight notices the top of a teddy bear's head, she reaches inside and pulls it out, "It's a get well stuffed animal."

"Isn't that sweet?" Eric is gleaming as he smiles down at the white bear.

"And you didn't see who could have dropped this off?"

"I'm sorry Erin. I didn't."

Erin nods as he starts back up on his rounds. Holding the trash and the bear, she steps back into her apartment and closes the door. She reset her alarm, making sure to press the green button this time. After tossing the wrapping paper and box into the trash, she stared down at the teddy bear.

He's sitting in his car, watching. Lindsay glances up and for a split second Tucker thinks she sees the camera. It's a brief second. He realized she was staring off into the distance, thinking long and hard about whom it could have come from. Tucker hoped she likes it. He wants her to cuddle it. He wants her to hold it and love it as if it were him. They couldn't be together today, but tomorrow, he would try to come out and see her. They deserved to see each other. He had to see with his own eyes and hear with his own ears that she was okay. Erin's near death experience gave him quite a scare.

Tucker snaps out of his flashback. The image of fear in her eyes, her full dependency on him to save her life was the adrenaline he loved to feel. Her life was literally in his hands. He had full control. He had the choice. Tucker had all of the power. His teeth beamed as he smiled from ear to ear, however, the moment he sees Erin stuff the teddy bear into the trashcan it falls. He wants to text her. He wants to call her. He wants to ask her how she could throw something away that he gave her. It was something that was going to mean a lot to them one day. It was the first gift she has ever received from Tucker…and she just threw it away. After angrily slamming his laptop shut, he started his car and pulled off.

Erin takes a seat on the barstool and continues eating her cereal. It was a little soggy, but she didn't mind. Flipping through the pages of a worn out magazine Burgess had brought by last night only served to pass by two minutes. It was her third time flipping through the pages. It seems staying home alone with absolutely nothing to do wasn't as exciting as it once sounded. Her day was filled with absolute boredom. Lindsay hears her cell ring from the bedroom. Whoever was currently calling saved her from a few extra minutes of boredom. Quickly setting her bowl of cereal into the sink, she ran into her bedroom; saw her father's name light across the screen before swiping to answer, "You have to let me go back to school. I'm bored."

"The doctor said you can return the first week of October. It's just until Monday Erin. Your teachers are sending you the notes and work so you can stay up-to-date. Just relax. Enjoy the break. You'll be wishing you did."

She shakes her head, "I don't think I can do this for the rest of the week."

"I thought you were looking forward to having the place to yourself."

"I was looking forward to you not hovering over me. I caught up on most of my work and studying yesterday. There's nothing on television and you're keeping me hostage."

Hank chuckles, "I am not keeping you hostage."

"You won't let me leave. I can't leave my own apartment."

"Where do you have to go?" She can hear his good mood radiating through the phone.

"You are aware that starting this week on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday nights I work part-time at the school library. Besides keeping the library quiet, checking someone's book in or out or helping them find a book, I usually spend that time doing homework and studying. I get distracted here. It's peaceful there."

"I thought you got your work done."

"I did because there was literally nothing else left to do. Let me leave. I can catch a movie…or," she's pacing in her bedroom, "or maybe go for a run, walk around downtown…something!"

"Sorry kid," Hank leans back in his chair, "I'll get off a little early tonight and I'll stop pass the house and grab a board game or something."

"A board game…" She squeezes her lips tight before releasing them, "I guess. Anything is better than watching time tick by."

Lindsay hears someone knock on her father's office door. He must have waved Dawson inside because she hears the detective's voice update her father about their case. She knows he has to get off the phone soon. She hears him let Dawson know that he'll be out there.

"I know you have to go, but did you tell them about your award?"

"No."

"Dad-"

"Erin, I don't need any of them showing up at the ceremony."

"Dad-"

"This isn't a debate Erin. I'll go and accept the award. You'll be in the audience cheering me on. Your presence is enough." Hank rises from his seat, "I have to go. We have a lead."

 _Thursday:_

Hank Voight lowers the heat on the stovetop when a knock rips at the front door. He's cooking his favorite; beef stew. It should last for a few days. Voight wipes his hands against a dishrag as he approaches the door, "I'll get it Erin." Since he's here with her the alarm isn't on. Voight unlocked each latch and pulled the door open, "Can I help you with something?"

Tucker's rocking on his feet. He didn't think to check if her father was here. After witnessing her throw his present away, he couldn't bring himself to open the laptop. He had to calm down first. When today arrived, Tucker had forgotten to check. He just assumed her father had to work since he was the boss of an entire unit. The 27 year old looked up and gave her suspicious father his widest smile, "I'm here to see Erin."

"She's resting." Voight begins closing the door but Tucker sticking his foot out prevents it from fully closing shut. Hank notices his foot, "What do you want?"

"I just want to see Erin. I want to make sure she's alright. I need to see her in person."

"Well, unfortunately for you, that's not happening." Voight took another look at Tucker's foot, "Now move your feet before I move them for you."

"Sir, I feel like we got off on the wrong start." Tucker pouts as he tries to eye the living room from over Voight's shoulder, "Your emotions were intense. My emotions were high. You say you don't like me because you don't trust me, but I haven't given you a reason not to."

"You're lying to me Tucker," Hank informs, mouth lined straight, shoulders tense and eyes serious, "…about last Thursday."

"Sir, I saved your daughter."

"And you use saving her as a distraction tactic. It won't work…not on me."

"I know you want me to stay away, but that's your wish…not hers. As long as she wants me, I'll be here and there's nothing you can do about it."

The 27 year old moves his foot. He didn't want for her father to get even angrier at him. He thought it was best to end the conversation at the moment. Voight didn't trust Tucker, but Tucker felt he could change that. Tucker felt Hank's approval wasn't unrealistic. He just had to earn it. If he received approval from her father, she'll feel free enough to dump her boyfriend and come running to him. Voight shuts the door and Tucker hears the locks turn. On his way to his daughter's room, he makes a brief stop at the stove. He turned the pot off, "Erin," he called his daughter's name, knocking lightly against the door, "What are you doing?" He walked inside.

"…painting my toes," she whispers, focusing on staying within the lines of the smallest toenail, "Is the food done?"

"It just finished."

"Who was at the door?"

"Your best friend," Voight quirks a brow, as he examined Erin's reaction when he spoke of the title Tucker deemed himself last Thursday. He had forgotten all about it until he saw him again.

"…Kim," Erin says as a question. The look on her dad's face combined with the fact that he answered using the words 'your best friend' had her thinking it wasn't Burgess. Her dad would usually say Burgess…and he would have actually invited her inside.

"No, Tucker…"

She chuckles and shakes her head, "No."

"That's what he introduced himself to me as. He said he was your best friend. I thought you ended the friendship."

"I did. We're not best friends. We're not even friends."

"You know that, but does he know that?"

She fans the polish on her toes, "He should. I've only told him about a hundred times."

"So, what exactly did you say because to him you both are still friends?"

"I probably confused him," she sighs, exhaustively, "He's not used to this friend thing. I ended it, but not officially, and then I ended it for good. I don't know. I don't know where we stand."

"Do you want him to stay away from you?"

"We have classes together."

"….that doesn't answer my question," he sits at the edge of her bed, "Do you want him to stay away from you Erin?"

"For right now, yeah," she gives a confident, dimpled smile, "no, I don't know," her smile falters, "I'm not used to someone bending over backwards to earn my acceptance and be my friend. I told him that he comes off too strong."

"Yeah I know."

"What? Jay told you that too."

"No," Hank stands up, "Actually Tucker did when I met him at the hospital. We had coffee."

"What? Dad, no…why? Every little thing means the world to him. I cut him off and you take him out for coffee."

"I told him to stay away from you."

"You did?" The whine in her voice is gone.

"You see how much weight my warnings hold."

Erin chuckles, "He's definitely persistent."

"I'm just grateful that you weren't alone," he squeezes her shoulder reassuringly, "and that you received help in time. I might not like him, but I like that he was here."

"You and me both," she whispered, leaning into his comforting hand.

"I was scared kiddo."

"I was too."

"I'll go make you a bowl of stew." Her dad pats her shoulder, "If he keeps bothering you, are you going to let me know?"

"…probably not," she honestly sighs, "I don't need you getting into trouble again. I can take care of Tucker. He may be a little desperate for my attention, but he'll never hurt me. It won't get to that point." Hank takes her word for it. He gets up to go grab her some hot stew.

Erin hears her cell vibrate against her end table. She leans over –being mindful of her drying nails- to grab it. Tucker's name flashes across the screen. After rolling her eyes, she presses the red button, sending his call straight to voicemail. Tucker's fist slams against his dashboard as he watched her intentionally ignore his call. She actually looked at his name on the screen and sent him to voicemail. It could have been an accident. It was probably an accident. Tucker redialed her number and watched her through the camera. He crossed his fingers and rocked forward and then backward, and repeated the motion, "Come on Erin," he mutters to himself. He sees her lift her cell, read his name and then set her phone back down.

Tucker's hand erratically beats against his dashboard. He's fuming. He's mindful of not accidentally hitting the horn, but his anger felt heightened. First she's completely ungrateful towards him for saving her, throws his gift in the trash, was sent away by her dad, and then she deliberately ignores his phone calls. Every call, every text and every email he has sent, she most likely saw it. He usually chalked it up to her being busy, her phone dying, a loss of signal or her phone being on silent. Tucker never thought she would be the type of person to ignore him. She wasn't that type of girl. She wasn't like the girls back home. She loved him. And he loved her.

Hank Voight is balancing a tray with two bowls of beef stew, two glasses of water and a row of crackers situated on top of it. He's holding it steady as he lowers it down to Erin's bed, "Let's eat up kid. You love my beef stew."

She grabs her bowl, "I honestly love anything you make."

"Grab your glass too," she does as her dad request. She sets the glass down on top of the end table, "Scoot over."

"This is amazing," Erin sighs, scooting over, so her dad could sit next to her.

"I'm glad you like it."

"So, did you tell-"

"No I didn't," he interrupts, already knowing where his daughter is going with her question.

"Would you be mad if I did?"

"Erin-"

"Dad, I thought they deserved to know. They're family too."

"I asked you not to do that."

"No you didn't," she sighed, blowing at the next spoonful of stew, "besides, what did you expect me to do? You deserve to have your accomplishments celebrated. I had too much time on my hands. Being stuck in this place for 24 hours gets boring. I'm so glad I start back up on Monday and you're moving back home. No offense, but you were kind of cramping my style."

Hank laughs lightly, "I kind of felt the same way about you." Erin laughs in response.

 _Friday:_

Erin inhaled the flowers as Jay read the apology card aloud. It was from the takeout restaurant. The restaurant sent their deepest apology along with a beautiful bouquet of flowers. Her dad or Olinsky must have paid them a visit. She didn't know what good it did, besides the flowers and the apology card. She lifts the vase of flowers and sets them upon the end table beside the arm chair, "They're so beautiful. Aren't they?"

"I don't see how girls can get so excited. They're just flowers. They'll die in a few days."

"…thanks Jay." Her tone is flat. She gives him a deflated smile, "You're such a killjoy."

A knock rips against the front door, but Erin makes no move to get it. She looks at Jay as he looks at her. Silently the two debated over who was going to answer it and talk to whoever it was on the other side. Erin wasn't expecting any visitors. Her father was at work, and Jay usually had most Fridays off. He decided to spend the day with his girl. He hadn't been able to see her for a few days. Jay set the apology card down, "The last time I opened your door, your little boyfriend was outside glaring at me like I was the other man."

"He probably wasn't glaring at you."

"You didn't see him."

"He was probably caught off guard," Erin laughed, taking a seat on the couch, "you were shirtless. And you're hot when you're shirtless," she folds her legs in, "Speaking of shirtless, why are you wearing a shirt right now?"

"…because you want me to answer the door."

"Wait," she whispers in a strict tone, "if it's Tucker, tell him I'm resting."

"You're resting…"

"Yes, I'm feeling much better today, and his…he…I'm not even going to sugarcoat it. I want him to leave me alone…for good. In the beginning, when I first spoke to him about his clinginess, I considered being his friend sometime in the future, but Jay, he's driving me crazy. He wants to keep checking up on me. He wants to send me presents. It's weird. It's awkward. It's irritating. He's creepy. He won't leave me the hell alone. And…and now I sound like I'm creating problems, don't I?"

"No," Jay ignores the continuous knocking at her front door, "Don't ignore your instincts. It's one of the things we depend on in law enforcement. Go lay in the bed. I'll meet you in there after I get rid of him." She appreciates it. Erin pecks his cheek before disappearing into her bedroom.

Jay waits for her to enter her bedroom as he pulls open the front door. Every part of him wanted it to be Tucker, and when he saw the 27 year old standing on the other side of the doorway, with his arms crossed and his foot tapping the ground, he smiled. It was just who he wanted to see.

"Can I speak to Erin?" He drops his crossed arms.

"She's resting."

Tucker stops tapping his foot, "That's the same thing her dad told me yesterday."

"I wasn't aware people are only allowed to rest once a week."

"You know what I mean." Tucker sighs dramatically, "She's avoiding me."

"Dude, seriously, leave. Get out of here."

"I saved her."

"Get out of here Tucker…and don't come back."

"You can't do that," Tucker's eyes are glaring at the younger man, "You don't live here."

Halstead releases a loud and stretched out sigh of irritation, "I'm asking you nicely to leave and to not come back here again."

"But…she's my friend. She wants me to come back. She likes it when I visit."

"No she doesn't," Jay whispers calmly. He can tell that something is seriously wrong with the guy. Halstead wanted to remain firm, but he could tell, Tucker was far from okay.

"Yes she does."

"Tucker she does not. She just told me. I'm here to get rid of you. Don't be that guy. Don't be the guy who can't see when a girl is clearly avoiding him. She doesn't want you as a friend." Jay felt unease crawl under his skin as he watched the male's demeanor completely shift.

Tucker was upset. He didn't believe Jay's words. If they were in fact true, how come she couldn't tell him? Jay was just jealous. Erin didn't know he was here. Her boyfriend only said that to keep them apart. His eyes failed to meet Jay's and he immediately tucked his hands into his pockets, "She doesn't want to see me anymore."

"No she doesn't," Jay shakes his head, a sympathetic expression on his face.

"She doesn't want me here."

"Goodbye Tucker." Halstead felt slightly bad for the guy, but he was tired of repeating himself. He doesn't know how many different ways he could possibly say the exact same thing. Jay didn't close the door right away. He wanted to watch Tucker walk away, "Make sure you don't come back," Jay watched Tucker turn slightly to smile at him, "or you'll have to deal with me." Of all the reactions Halstead expected, a laugh was definitely the last one. He heard Tucker chuckle hardly as he disappeared down the stairs. His laughs filled the halls even when he was out of sight. Jay shook his head, closed the door and locked each lock.

His sock covered feet walked him down the carpeted floor in the direction of her bedroom. The door is wide open and he sees her sitting at the edge of her bed. His feet brought him over to where she sat, "He's gone."

"On a scale of one to 100, how easy was it to get rid of him?"

"75…maybe 76, that guy is odd. Where did you find him?"

"I told you Jay."

"Oh, right…right, the bike incident…" Jay takes a seat beside her, "He shouldn't be bothering you anymore."

"Why," she smirks, her brows rising in curiosity, "because you told him not to?"

"Yeah."

"That's not going to work. He didn't listen to my dad. What makes you think he's going to listen to you?"

Jay shrugs, "…maybe because I'm younger, stronger and faster."

"What? You're going to beat him up."

"If he keeps messing with you…maybe," Jay wraps his arm around her shoulders and pulls her in close, "What is he doing exactly?"

"He just calls."

"He calls?" Halstead eyes her confusedly.

"Yeah, he texts and emails me too."

Jay is quiet. He's blinking slowly. He turns to look at her, face to face, "Erin, you had me thinking this guy was like breaking in and watching you as you sleep or something."

"I'm overreacting."

"…maybe just a little," Jay chuckles, pulling her close to peck her forehead, "anyone a mile away can tell he's strange, but I don't think he's dangerous."

"Yeah, I don't think that either. He's just a nuisance." Erin lays back on her bed, her feet still planted on the ground, "You know the results of my epi-pen came back this morning. My dad called. He said the tests came back and proved that everything was fine. It wasn't a faulty pen. It should have worked, but I don't know why it didn't."

Jay leans back as well, "Let's not stress about that right now. Let's focus on the fact that Tucker is gone and you're feeling much better."

 _Saturday:_

It's the first day of October. Erin is outside, in downtown Chicago, leaving the gym with Burgess after their regular Zumba class. They're dressed in warm workout clothes due to the chilly and windy October temperature. On Monday, she's back at school and back at her normal life. There will be no more talk of her recovery, no more being babysat by her dad and boyfriend and no more being catered to and watched. It was going to definitely be a good week.

"Isn't that your friend?" Burgess points towards Tucker. He's leaning against his parked car.

Erin sighs, "You think if we keep walking, he won't notice us."

"He has already noticed us. He's walking over." Burgess hair is up in a sweaty ponytail. Her sweatshirt is draped over her arm because she's too hot to wear it.

"He won't leave me alone."

"Tell your dad or Jay."

"I told Jay."

"And what did he say?" Burgess is side-eyeing her friend. She knows Jay just as well as Erin does, and he loves that woman to death. Any skepticism Erin felt about anyone would set Jay's protective streak into overdrive.

"I might be overreacting a little."

"Well, what did you tell him about Tucker?" The two women begin walking in the opposite direction of Tucker's approaching form.

"…just that he keeps calling, texting and emailing me."

"Well now he's following you. I feel like you have good reason to go to Jay now…or maybe your dad. Voight has power that Jay doesn't."

Lindsay and Burgess walk into a nearby café. The two women approach the back of the line and patiently wait as it slowly moves forward. Erin had been thinking about Kim's words. She did have a point, but the thought of telling her dad was absolutely out of the picture. Erin gripped the strap of her purse tighter, "I'm not telling my dad anything. I'm just getting him off my back. If I tell him, I'll never have space, privacy or anything."

The pair approach the cash register and order their usual. After Zumba class, they normally paid a visit to the café down the street. It was a nice, small treat, after an exhausting, yet fun workout.

"Want to sit here?" Burgess points to an empty table.

Erin nods, "Sure."

As their beverages are being brewed they take a seat near the entrance. Burgess nods towards the front door when the bell above it rang, signaling someone has just entered the café.

"Don't look now but your friend is coming over."

"Stop calling him that." She mutters, as he grabs a chair to pull over, "What are you doing?"

"…taking a seat."

"We didn't invite you."

"Erin," his voice is low. He doesn't want to be embarrassed in front of her friend.

"Tucker, leave me alone. I don't want you here."

"What if you have another allergic reaction?" He quips, crossing his arms defensively, "Who will be here to save you?"

"You think the hospital released me without another epi-pen. I'm fine." Erin responds irritatingly, trying to force a smile as the waiter handed her the beverage she ordered, "Thank you," she nods at the man before turning back to Tucker, "And Burgess is here. I'm fine. You can leave."

"Erin, you're acting very ungrateful."

"Hey," Burgess intercepts, rising from her seat, "back off! She said get out of here, so scram!"

"Kim I appreciate your help, but I have this. I can protect myself. I don't need anyone defending me," Erin calmly whispers to her friend. She was tired of feeling like she needed saving. For once, she would like to save and protect herself. Lindsay turned back to face Tucker as he sat down in the seat he pulled in closer, "I'm serious Tucker. Get out of here. Now."

Tucker can see the anger lines forming on her face. She's angry. She's very angry. Erin's hand was gripped around her mug as her enraged face glared into Tucker's eyes. He got the hint. He wasn't wanted here. The 27 year old rose from his seat, "I just wanted to see for myself that you were okay. I see that now. I won't bother you anymore." He drags the chair back to the table he originally pulled it from.

As Burgess sips from the mug, she watches Tucker slowly leave the building. Occasionally, he would give a backwards glance to see if Erin would stop him. Disappointment was clear upon his face the moment he stepped outside and realized that she wasn't coming.

"You should really tell your dad Erin. He has shown up outside the gym and here." Kim is whispering as if Tucker could still hear her. Her head is leaning in, "You need to tell him."

"I just handled it. I had it all under control. He just needed me to tell him to leave me alone."

Kim leans back in her seat, "Erin-"

"I don't want to worry my dad, especially when I don't have to. Tucker is gone."

"Erin-"

"Promise me you won't say anything."

"But Erin-"

"Come on Kim. I finally got my dad off my back. I have an alarm system. I have a stun gun and pepper spray. I'm fully equipped to protect myself, and besides Tucker's harmless…a little creepy, but harmless. Please, if this turns out to be nothing, he won't let it go. It'll freak him into making me move back in with him. Please Kim. Promise me."

Burgess thought about it. She hesitated briefly. She nodded, "I promise."


	9. Twisted Interpretation

It's the beginning of October. It's the week following Erin's week-off, two weeks since her near death experience and three weeks since school started. She had no idea why she was in a rush to get back to school. After her dad left last night, she turned into bed early and woke up just as early to make her first class. Now, Erin is sitting in her last class, most of her energy almost completely drained from her body. As she waits for her professor's arrival, she sits her chin in the palm of her hand. Struggling to keep her eyes open, she senses a presence stand beside her, "This seat is taken." Her eyes remain closed.

Tucker frowns, "By whom?"

Erin peels her eyes open, and glances down at her purse in the seat, "…my bag."

Tucker shakes his head, chuckling, he figures she's joking. He picks up her bag and sets it on top of her desk. The 27 year old leans his backpack against his seat, "I'm glad to see you back in class," he leans over and reaches into his bag, "I made copies of my notes for you."

"I don't need them."

He releases the papers, and looks up to face her, "Hey, I was thinking…Did you want to do something this week? We couldn't really hang out last week. We can hang out like we did my first week here."

"…No thank you."

"I…I made a list," he digs into his pocket and pulls out his cell, "on my phone of more places for us to go and hangout.

"…No thank you," her eyes remain close as she tries to block out the noise around her.

"This week we could-"

She interrupts, "I don't have the time or energy to hangout this week."

"What about next week?"

Her eyes open, and she turns to face him, "No. No Tucker. We won't be hanging out this week, next week, the week after, the next month, the next year…we won't be hanging out ever. You make me feel very uncomfortable. I do not want to see you outside of school. I really don't want to see you now but there's not much I can do about that." In her peripheral, she sees her professor walk into the classroom, "We're not friends Tucker. I need you to understand that."

"Erin, I saved you." He's grinning. Her words going through one of his ears and out of the other, "We should be able to hang out. I met your dad. I feel like your dad is starting to like me."

Lindsay turns forward and watches the professor load up his PowerPoint, "You obviously have some twisted interpretation on what liking someone looks like. I hope you don't get that vibe from me because you're obviously mistaken."

The 27 year old followed Erin's line of sight. She was zoned out, but her eyes were focused forward. The professor was currently inserting his USB in order to load up the class lecture notes. Tucker used this extended opportunity to look back at Erin, "Was that your dad who was over your place yesterday?" He speaks up. Tucker had left his laptop at his apartment and didn't know for sure. When Erin doesn't respond, he continues, "Who was there? I happened to drive by your apartment and I noticed someone was there. Is everything okay?"

"Stop showing up at my place," She broke out of her reverie, and immediately turned to face him. Her voice was low and it was serious, "And the teddy bear you left me the other day, it's in the trash. Leave me alone Tucker. Don't…don't show up at my place again."

The professor clears his throat after loading up his lecture's slides. Erin is thankful for it. She managed to get the last word in before he had the chance to rebut. Erin could see his eyes looking at her every few minutes. She ignored it though. Any comment would open the window of opportunity up for him to speak to her. The class time went by pretty quickly. She spent it taking notes, asking questions and participating in class discussion. The moment he dismissed the class –a few minutes early- she grabbed her belongings and left. She left before Tucker could even say goodbye. She left before he could even register class was over. Erin wanted out of there.

Tucker pouts glumly as he decides to give her a call. She didn't say goodbye. He didn't get to really speak with her. Their conversation was unfinished. Tucker called her. It rang and rang until it went to voicemail. He called again, and then again…and again. He wanted her to answer or respond in some way. She had left so fast he wanted to make sure she was alright. That's what he's here for. They're friends. He decides to shoot a follow up text. After her health scare, Tucker needed to know she was fine.

As Erin walked outside, she felt around for her cell. Her phone was usually on silent when she was in class. Once she got out, she wanted to check for any messages from her dad. He promised to cut back on checking up on her, but since it's her first day back, she didn't mind as much. It was a process that was going to take him some time to officially adjust to not constantly checking in with her. As she approaches her car, she spots Tucker's name. Her walk from class to the parking lot served Tucker enough time to text her 27 times, call her 15 and leave 5 voicemails. She's just about to arrive at her car when she abruptly stops. A frustrated grunt erupts from her mouth as she turns on her heel and stomps back towards the classroom building.

Erin sees his name flash across her screen. He's calling again! She quickens the pep in her step as she's basically in a full out run towards the building. Erin slows down as a man holds the door open for her, "Thanks." She's a little out of breath, but it doesn't stop her from hastily walking down the hallway. She had a bone to pick with Tucker. And she wasn't leaving until she got her point across. She was tired of this. He wasn't doing anything illegal, but he was bothering her! Lindsay turns the hallway corner and sees Tucker just now leaving out of their classroom.

The young Voight stomps down the hallway. Bystanders step out of her way as they allow her through. She had one destination in mind and that was to him. She's a few steps away, "Tucker!" Erin approaches him, rips his cell from his hand and throws it across the hallway, "I just convinced my father to leave my place. He was actually considering staying a few more days. I just got him off my back! And now you're constantly on it! I just want to be left alone Tucker, but you don't understand that! I'm tired; flat out exhausted! I'm hungry! I'm angry! And I'm definitely not in the mood for any of this," her arms are flying in all sorts of directions to annunciate her point, "I'm not in the mood Tucker. It literally takes all of the energy out of me when I have to deal with you. What do I have to say or do to convince you to leave me alone?" Tucker's in silent shock as people silently watch from down the hall, "I have no desire to be your friend anymore. And no I don't care how that makes you feel. I don't! I don't care about you. I don't want you calling me. Don't text me. Don't leave me any voicemails. Don't come over to my place. Don't leave me presents. Don't talk to me. Don't look at me. Don't even think about me! I want you away from me…for good. I don't want to be anywhere near you…so good riddance and just," she inhales a sharp breath, "just leave me the hell alone!"

Erin doesn't give him the opportunity to respond. She glances at his unbroken phone lying across the hallway, before she turns on her heel to storm off. He watches people resume their conversation. As he drowns out their gossiping voices, he sees Erin's retreating form growing further and further away. He walks to his cell and picks it up. Tucker's frowning. She was not the girl he first met. This Erin was different. She was actually mean. The smile she plasters on her face for people was a lie. The dimples pierced into her smiling cheeks were forged, but for some reason, he still wanted her. She was still his. After pocketing his cell phone, he begins running. He's running in the direction Erin walked off in. He needs to catch up to her. This wasn't over. This conversation was far from over. She had the last word and Tucker didn't get the chance to say anything.

Tucker's outside. He sees Erin in the parking lot as his feet bring him nearer and nearer to her enraged form. She's still pissed. Her phone is gripped tightly in her hand as she uses her free hand to dig through her purse in search of her keys. Tucker is powerwalking, his arms swinging against his side, "Hey!" he shouts, reaching out to grab her shoulder in order to turn her to face him, "This conversation is far from over."

"Oh no this conversation is definitely over…just like this friendship is."

Tucker's voice is high-pitched, "You can't say things like that Erin!"

"I sure as hell can," she pulls her keys out of her purse, "You can't tell me what I can and cannot do. You aren't my father. You are nothing to me Tucker. You're a stranger...so get away from me. We're done talking."

"Don't say that."

"We're done talking," she repeats.

"Stop saying that!"

"Goodbye Tucker," Erin unlocks her car door with the press of a button.

"We're not done."

She's calm as she opens her door, "Yes we are."

"No we're not! Get back here! You don't want to mess with me. I'm telling you Erin."

Lindsay eyes him suspiciously from over her shoulder. She goes into the backseat and tosses her backpack inside. She's not speaking. She already told Tucker they were done talking. Erin was over it. She was ready to move on and pretend she's never even met Tucker Rhodes before.

"Erin, please…don't do this. It's for your safety. You need me on your side. Erin, come on," he steps closer when she gets into the car, "Erin!" The sound of his voice extends higher. He's angry. Her deliberately ignoring him is simmering rage in his core, "I hate being ignored. I've been ignored my entire life. That's the one thing…the one thing I ask you not to do."

"Or what?" She turns to face him, eyes glaring daggers into his, "What are you going to do?"

Tucker smiles. He's relieved she responded. With his hand on her door, he leans against it and smiled, "I don't know, but I'm glad we don't have to find out."

"Tucker-"

"We can be together."

His admission catches her completely off guard. She would have never guessed that the guy who pulled her from that oncoming bike would turn into this. Her eyes almost bulged out. Erin knew he had a crush on her…that didn't surprise her. What surprised her was the fact that literally everything she said to him, every obvious sign of discomfort, he didn't pick up on.

"I'm not afraid to admit it. I was at first, but I'm ready. And I know you're ready too Erin. Otherwise, you wouldn't be pushing me away. You're trying to get rid of me so you can ignore your feelings for me, but you don't have to do that. We can be together."

"I have a boyfriend…a cop boyfriend. And Tucker, I love him…not you."

The 27 year old releases the door and steps back. As she reaches for it, she catches the smile on his mouth, the gleam in his eye and the relaxed expression on his face. Erin was curious, but she wasn't that curious. Before she could slam the door, he grabs it again, "Erin, he may have been your first love, but I have every intention of being your last." He releases the door for good this time. He expected to hear the slamming of a door following his statement, but it never came.

Erin is looking at him in utter disbelief, "You are crazy."

"Don't call me that," he whispers, his eyes focusing on the pavement of the ground.

"You are crazy if you ever think I would leave my boyfriend for you. I would…I could never want you. Ever." Erin finally slams her car door shut, and locks the door. He doesn't leave right away. He stares at her through her car window. She's buckling her seatbelt. She's starting the engine. And now she's rolling down her window, "You know…it all finally makes sense now."

"What makes sense?"

"…the fact that you've never had a friend before," Those are her last words as she pulls out of the parking spot

Erin made plans to go for an afternoon jog around the park. It was still day out, but she'll have to cut her jog short by about an hour because of the late start. She doesn't jog at night. She's careful. Lindsay doesn't put herself –at least not intentionally- in situations that could result in her getting hurt. It's one of the things that were drilled in her head as a child by both of her parents. She's vigilant. She's cautious. However, Erin was very naïve, which didn't mix or balance well with her vigilance and caution. One always outweighed the other.

She was always aware of her naivety. As the daughter of a cop, one usually assumed she was skeptical, guarded and alert about everything. Erin, though, didn't like to look at the bad in people. She knew everyone had bad qualities or has done bad things before; she didn't like to hold that against them. Erin wanted to get to know people without having the added weight of their past dictate how she perceives them. It was a very nonjudgmental thing for her to do, but her father didn't approve. Hank loved that his daughter always saw the best, but he always had to remind her not to ignore the worst. It could backfire on her.

The 24 year old arrives at her house. Tucker is parked across the street, loading the screens up on his laptop. She walks inside her home and types her alarm password onto the keypad. Tucker saw it. He managed to catch the five-digit number. He smiles as he jots it down quickly inside of a school notepad. Tucker knew she didn't want him visiting her, but she never said anything about him visiting her when she wasn't home. She didn't want him calling her, but what if his number doesn't appear on the phone? She'll answer. She won't know it's him. And he'll get to hear her voice. It was a win-win for both of them.

With a blocked number, Tucker calls her after she finishes changing into her jogging suit. It's chilly out and it's not really the best temperature for her to wear her normal jogging apparel. On the computer screen, Tucker watches her grab her phone, and the curiosity in her is what pushed her to answer the blocked call.

"Hello," her voice is hesitant. It's suspicious.

Tucker doesn't say a thing. He just wants to listen. He can sit in the car all day and listen to her say the same thing over and over again. It would never get old and tiring.

"Is anyone there?"

He begins breathing into the phone.

Erin rolls her eyes, "Goodbye." She hangs up.

The brief call wasn't enough. Tucker needed to hear her voice again. With the same blocked id, he calls her number again, and she immediately answers it on the first ring, "Hello?" Her voice is louder. It's less cautious and more irritated. He's breathing just like the last phone call.

"Tucker, is this you?"

He panics. He pulls the phone away from his loud breathing and watches her on the camera screen. The 27 year old's body is rocking back and forth as his free hand erratically tapped along the arm rest. He's waiting to hear what she has to say. He had already made her upset. He didn't want to do it again.

Tucker expects to hear her say something again; maybe a warning, a threat or something, but she doesn't. Erin sighs and hangs up. Her voice is like a drug and he's addicted. He doesn't want to call her back, but he can't seem to physically stop himself from redialing her number. Tucker watches her on the screen and she sends his blocked call straight to voicemail. She was deliberately ignoring him again!

"Stop doing this to me Erin." He whispers as she leaves her apartment.

He stoops low in his seat, being mindful that she's hopping back into her car. Tucker had no idea where she was going, but he was up for the chase. He was ready for an adventure and Erin Voight was definitely going to give it to him. Tucker spots her car driving pass, and he quickly slams his laptop in order to follow her. From her jogging suit, he figured she was going for a run, he just didn't know where.

Tucker keeps a nice distance behind her. She never suspects a thing. When she's driving, he stays at least one car behind her. When she parks, he parks on the opposite side of the street. When she walks, he stays behind a few people heading in the same direction. Erin begins running along the path and Tucker knew that if he wanted to keep his eye on her, he would have to run. The only reason he's here is to make sure Erin stays safe.

With a quick pep in his step, he quickens his pace as her distance gets farther and farther. They're a few people outside. Most people were still at work. It would be getting dark in two hours. He remembered Erin never ran in the dark so her run would be ending sometime before then. Tucker is still jogging. He jogs around people walking along the trail. He's barely keeping up with Erin, but the want and the need to be near her, keeps him as close to her as his nonathletic body would allow.

He had a good visual of her, until he blinked. The blink felt like it lasted less than a second, but it was enough for her to completely disappear. He doesn't stop running. Tucker figured that she sped up to burn more calories since she can't stay out as long, but the moment he felt a shove against his back, he knew he was mistaken. She was no longer running. She was standing next to him, her arms crossed over her chest and her head tilted in confusion, "Are you following me?"

"No," Tucker chuckles lightheartedly, "it's probably just fate or something that had us both here at the same exact time."

"I have a limited amount of time to jog so I'm going to get back to that, but just know that I don't believe one word you just said." Erin turns forward and continues her run. Tucker does too.

They're running together. It's like a date. She runs with her boyfriend normally and now she's running with him. Erin quickens her pace and so does Tucker. She stops again, partially out of breath, "Did you forget my dad's a cop?" Her hands are on her hips as she tries to muffle her deep breathing, "If you keep doing this, I'll swallow my pride and tell him."

"Doing what?" Tucker chuckles. He's even more out of breath than she is. His hand is against his forehead, blocking the bright sunlight from his eyes, "This is a public park Erin. I have every right to be here. You think that I followed you here, but how am I supposed to know you didn't follow me here?"

"You're ridiculous." Erin begins walking in the opposite direction, "My run is over. Thanks for ruining it."

"Wait," he leans forward and tries to grab her arm, but she manages to yank it away, "maybe we can run it together?"

"I like to run alone."

"You run with Jay."

"…that's different." Erin continues walking in the opposite direction. She'll just start scheduling her jogs around when Jay does. Her hands are on her hips as she quickens her walk, "Don't follow me Tucker. I'm serious. Follow me again and I'll lead you straight to the precinct."

"Is that a threat Erin?" Tucker is smiling, his teeth beaming in the bright sun, "Is it?"

Erin never answers him. She heard him loud and clear but she doesn't answer. When she said she was done talking to him, she meant it. She just had to remember not to speak. It was a force of habit to speak if someone spoke to her first or if she had to get something off of her chest, but once she remembers to stay quiet, she will.

"Erin, I'm talking to you!" he's shouting, and rocking back and forth on his feet, "ERIN! Erin, answer me! I'm talking to you! Erin please," he's pleading, his hands gripping the hem of his shirt, "I'll see you later." She's too far away to hear him.

Tucker's eyes turn dark. He sees people eyeing him as they either walk or jog pass. He's biting against his bottom lip, "Don't stare at me!" He screams it at the top of his lungs. He's trying to keep calm. He wants to stay levelheaded for Erin. He can't hurt her like he did his last potential friend. He doesn't want her to end up like Valerie did. Tucker thought Valerie was the perfect girl for him, but she proved that wasn't true. She had to pay for that. Now, with Erin in his life, Tucker knew for a fact that she was the perfect girl for him, no matter how hard she played to get.


	10. Paranoia

The days of the week were slowly trickling by. Once Erin got through Monday, the rest of the week usually picked up, but this week was different. Thursday had just arrived and with work on top of classes, studying and homework, Erin felt flat out exhausted. She had to balance school, work, her personal relationships…and Tucker. After Monday, she thought he got the hint. She assumed she spoke to him loud and clear. She thought it was all over, until she opened her front door Thursday morning ready to leave for class.

A gift box was positioned in front of her doorway. She already knew who it was from. Erin picked it up and used her keys to cut the top open. It's another teddy bear. It resembled the first one. Lindsay dug into the box and pulled it out. At the immediate sight of its face, she drops it. It caught her completely off guard. Its clothes are ripped. Its right eye was missing and it's left eye was dangling out of the socket; a thin piece of thread is the only thing that held it connected. Erin sees black markings on the teddy bear's white fur. It resembles dirt, but Erin's not too sure.

With her purse on her shoulder and her backpack on her back, she throws the bear back into the gift box. She holds the flap of the box as if it's infected with something as she goes down the apartment stairs. Erin pushes the apartment complex main entrance door open. She rushes over to the garbage and dumps the gift inside. Tucker's watching. He disapproves. That was another gift he gave her that ended up going into the trash. Erin reaches into her purse, and grabs some hand sanitizer from inside to squirt some into her hands. Tucker starts his car and drives off. He knows where she's going. It's Thursday. Erin has classes today and her first one starts in thirty minutes.

Tucker had a few classes today, but he didn't go. Erin wasn't in any of his Tuesday and Thursday courses. He wanted to see her all day. Skipping classes was worth it if it meant he could see Erin. After the hours of the day passed, he lost her for a moment. He had to make a quick stop at the bathroom, and by the time he came back, her class was dismissed. Her professor let them out early. Tucker felt his heart drop. His whole world froze. He felt like a parent who lost his child in the store. He felt anxiety. What if she was in danger? What if someone was trying to take advantage of her? What if she was eating tree nuts? What if she was getting hurt? And he's not there to protect her. He had to find her.

The 27 year old thought quickly about her schedule; she had three courses today. It was a few hours after noon. Her classes were over for the day. She didn't have to go into work at the library until tonight. The only possible location Tucker could think of Erin being in is the parking lot. She's probably about to go home. He clenched the strap of his backpack and took off in the direction of the building's exit. He's running. Even though it's chilly outside, he's sweating. He's out of breath, but he had to find her. He was worried about her. He's supposed to have eyes on her every second of the day.

His adrenaline quickened his sprint across campus. He's running as fast as his body would allow. Tucker's eyes were wide in desperation. He would never forgive himself if someone were to hurt her. She's his. The only person who could hurt her is him. The control is in his hands. He has the power, not anyone else. Tucker abruptly stops –and stumbles- in the parking lot. He's out of breath, bent over with his hands resting on his knees. His eyes frantically scan the parking lot, before he spots her. A long sigh of relief escapes his mouth as he stands up straight. Erin's okay. She's fine. She's…Tucker notices her and her surroundings. She's not alone.

Erin Voight was leaning against her car door, laughing loudly as a guy talked to her. Their casual banter pulled in Tucker's undivided attention from across the parking lot. Tucker has never seen the man before. He has never heard her speak of another man in her life. She has obviously known him for some time. The young Voight is chuckling as the man tells her something. He wants to know what's so funny. Is she laughing because she knows Tucker is watching? She's intentionally trying to make him jealous. He appreciated the effort. It meant she cared. However, Tucker didn't like to feel jealous. He hated the emotion…and Erin purposefully made him feel that way. She had to know what's acceptable and what isn't. He had to teach her.

Lindsay unlocks her car door and tosses her backpack into the backseat of the car. She closes it and turns back around to face Roman, "If Burgess knew you were here, she'd kill you." Erin is smiling from ear to ear, "I appreciate you trying to look out for her, but there's only so much I can do. Kim comes to you with a problem…and you come to me with it," Erin chuckles, "You promised her you wouldn't tell anyone."

"That's before I gave her bad advice. On Tuesday, she asked me if I thought Ruzek was cheating on her. I said no, but she doesn't believe it…so I told her to follow him, but I don't think that's the best advice. You have to speak to her Erin. She's your best friend. Tell her what you would do." Roman's backside is leaning against the hood of her car.

Erin sets her purse onto the passenger seat, "You want me to talk to her, but she doesn't know I know. If I talk to her, she'll be mad at you."

"If she feels better, it'll be worth it."

"You're a good partner Sean," she pats his shoulder and smiles, "I'm glad you have her back."

"So when are you going to talk to her?"

Lindsay approaches him, "How about I tell you what I would have told her?" He's leaning back and she's standing in front of him, "You can take credit for it. She won't know you broke her promise. It's a win-win."

"Okay, cool, yeah, what do you think?"

"I don't think she should follow him. I think she should talk to him. Ask him."

"What if he lies?"

Erin cracks a smile, "Ruzek is a horrible liar. Anybody can tell when he's not telling the truth."

"If he isn't cheating, you don't think he'll be mad when Burgess confronts him about it?"

Lindsay bites against her bottom lip, "I think he'll be disappointed. If he does get mad, he won't be as mad as he would have been if she follows him to find out. They've been through too much together. She should be straight up with him about her worries."

Roman grins. He knew coming to Lindsay was the best option. He's in casual clothes since he's been working on a case with Intelligence. It's currently his lunch break and he decided to grab something quick to eat off of one of the food carts on Erin's campus. While he was here, it gave him the perfect opportunity to talk to her.

"You're amazing," he hugs her; "You know that?"

"I do, but I don't hear it enough."

"I should-"

Erin holds up a finger to cut him off. Her cell ringing in her pocket pulled her attention away from him. She pulled her phone out and sighed at the caller id; the blocked number. It wasn't her dad calling at his usual time, but the blocked number instead. Sean Roman watched the frown on her face and his brows furrowed in reaction to her unfamiliar expression, "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah," she sends the call straight to voicemail.

Roman's eyes slit in suspicion, "Who was calling you?"

"It's either a very obstinate salesperson, bill collector or the wrong number," she lies easily, nonchalantly shrugging it off, "there's just a bad signal or something because I can't seem to hear them." Erin hopes her lie sounds sure and confident enough to have Roman believe her.

"Did you ever try calling them back?"

"…No," She feels him reading through her lies. Maybe Ruzek wasn't the only terrible liar.

Her phone rang again, "How often do they call?"

"Since Monday," she thinks to herself, "um…about four or five times a day."

As if on cue, her phone began ringing again. She pats Roman's shoulder as if hinting towards him that she's about to leave, but his hand grabs her wrist, "Let me answer it." Erin doesn't argue. She reaches back into her pocket and hands him her phone. He swipes with his pointer finger and places the cell against his ear, "Hello? Who is this?"

There's nothing but breathing on the other end. Erin watches Roman's expression as he intently listens into the call. Sean makes eye contact with her as he responds, "Um, whoever this is, Erin isn't interested, please stop calling back." He sounds polite. The heavy breathing stops before a dial tone sounded. The call was ended.

Erin took her phone from him, "See," she lightly smiles, "It's nobody."

"Call your service provider just in case. Request a new number."

"…I can't."

"Why?" Roman raises an eyebrow.

"If I get a new number, my dad will want to know why. He'll make such a big deal out of this."

"If you would rather get calls from telemarketers at all hours of the day, then be my guest."

Erin gives him a thankful squeeze of the shoulder, "Thanks Roman…and don't tell my dad."

"I should be heading back. I don't want to suffer the wrath of your father for being late." Roman opens his arms and hugs Erin, "Thanks again."

During the hug, she pats his back, "No, thank you for having her back."

"Always," Roman ruffled the law student's hair, "See you later Erin." He waves as he walks in the direction of his parked cop cruiser. He was parked along the street. He didn't have a student parking pass to park in the parking lot.

Tucker remained crouched between two cars for the entire conversation. He was too far to hear anything, but he was close enough to watch. He saw the hug. He saw the smiles on their faces. He could see the laughs. The guy, whoever he is, answered her phone. It took every fiber of Tucker's being to keep himself calm. He wanted to yell into the phone. He wanted to threaten the guy. He wanted to break any and everything around him. No one was supposed to answer her phone. He's not calling for them. He's calling for her. He wants her!

The 27 year old is happy to see the man walking away. He hoped to never have to see him again. Tucker knew Lindsay's schedule. She usually went home after classes to get ready for work. Working in the library didn't require a uniform, but there was a lot of free time she had, so she usually brought in school work to do. Tucker had a surprise for her. There was a window of opportunity when she went to lunch that he used to stop by her place. He left another gift. She deserved the world and he was going to give it to her. He met Eric, the around the clock security guard, and while Tucker originally thought he would pose a threat, once he watched the man work, he knew he wouldn't. Eric barely made rounds. In the security booth, he slept through the day. The only weapon Eric had was a nightstick. Eric was far from a threat. Tucker found knowing that entirely comforting.

Erin's conversation with Roman lasted a bit longer than planned. She needed to run home, grab her packed dinner out of the fridge, grab her laptop and schoolwork and then head straight back to campus. Librarian Reeves needed to get off early today because she hadn't been feeling well. Erin may have been new to the job, but since she spent most of her time in the library, she knew the ropes and where everything was. She promised the librarian she'll come in half an hour early. She straps herself into her car and immediately pulls off, maintaining the speed limit while being mindful of traffic signs.

Tucker knew that she was going to have to come back. He knew this. This parking garage was the main parking area for students and on-campus workers. He decided to sit in the backseat of his car, load his laptop up on his lap to watch and wait for Erin to arrive home. With his laptop on his lap, he sits back and rests his head against the headrest, "Any day now…" he's growing impatient, but the moment she unlocks her apartment door and rushes inside, he smiles. She has the box in her arms as she keys in the alarm code. Erin sets his gift to her down onto the bar top. She doesn't seem interested. Tucker sits up straight, "Come on Erin. Open it." He watches her grab her packed dinner out of the fridge. Seconds afterwards she rushes to her room, packs up her laptop, and grabs a large textbook to switch it out with another one in her backpack.

"Open it Erin!" His voice shouts. He sees a few bystanders walking by take a suspicious look at his car, "Come on! Open it!" He's shouting and gripping his laptop.

Erin's eyes fall to the gift. She knew she didn't want it, but her curiosity had her interested in knowing what was inside of it. Lindsay grabbed her keys from the countertop and used the edge to cut open the box. Tucker leans his face in closer to the screen as he sees her pull out the first red piece. The young Voight's hand clenches around the silk threaded red lingerie top. She feels the anger bubbling up inside of her core. There are matching panties inside of the box as well. She throws the lingerie back inside, picks the box up and throws it into her full trashcan. Lindsay is forced to tie the bag up and run it outside. Instead of making two trips, she holds the trash bag in one hand while balancing everything else in the other. She's out of Tucker's line of vision. However, he does notice that in her haste to leave, she forgets to set the alarm. He smiles. He's forced to wait for her to get back to school.

Tucker doesn't know what to do to pass the time. He should have followed her. He didn't like for her to be out of his line of sight for too long. He was bored. The 27 year old slammed his laptop shut and waited. He watched cars in the parking garage soon begin to disappear the later it grew. Most people were done with classes. Most professors were done with office hours. Tucker felt his cell vibrate in his pocket and he practically shouts in excitement as he digs in to grab it. No one else had his number but Erin. He only had one contact and she was it. It was a text from her.

 _I'm not dumb. I know it's you. Stop it! If you pull some shit like this again, I swear I'm going to the police._

From the text, he had gathered she was upset. He knew she'll get over it. She threw it in the trash, but he knew gifting her lingerie wouldn't be for nothing. She knew what he was into. One day, she'll surprise him. He knows it. She'll wear something similar to what he bought her and show up at his place. He had to leave her his address. Maybe she always wanted to show up, but just couldn't because she didn't know where he lived.

 _I'm not sure what this is about._

He played dumb. It was the first thing he could think of saying. She was mad and he needed to calm her. He had to deny everything. Tucker's fingers tapped along his thighs as he waited for her to reply. She didn't…at least not right away. He knew she was driving and he figured it took her so long because she was no longer at a stop sign or red light. Tucker waited a little longer and saw her car pull into the parking garage. She didn't park in her last spot. She chose one closer to the exit. Once her car was put in park, she didn't leave right away. She sat in her car, responding to his last message.

 _Delete my number. Forget my address. Go to hell._

Tucker grins madly. God, he loves this woman. She was perfect. She wasn't like Valerie. Valerie lied to him. Valerie pretended to be his friend. Valerie didn't love him. Erin always told him the truth. She didn't pretend to be his friend, she actually was. And most importantly, Erin loves him just as much as he loves her. They're a match made in heaven.

From the backseat of his car, Tucker watches her. He sees her load her arms with her purse, backpack, laptop bag and packed dinner. He would offer to help, but he knows her. He knows that she'll turn him down even if she truly didn't want to. Minutes pass. He wants her to get adjusted behind the librarian desk before he goes inside. Tucker slowly grabs his laptop, bags it, and then steps out the backseat of his car. Darkness has fallen and surrounded the once daytime sky. He loved the nighttime. You could do anything. Darkness was a great cover to mask someone. Tucker looked both ways before crossing the street. Cars were barely out on campus. It made it easier to cross the street without hurrying.

The 27 year old swipes his student id card in order to be granted access into the library after hours. The actual university closed at five, but the library remained open until midnight. Erin worked Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from five to midnight. Once he stepped inside, he saw her. She was sitting behind the librarian's desk, looking down at a book, with her highlighter tapping against her bottom lip.

"Hi," Tucker approaches the desk.

Erin looks up with a smile, but it drops the moment she sees him, "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to study."

"I gave you a warning Tucker. I told you to stop following me."

He's holding his laptop bag tightly, "So, because you're here, I'm not allowed to come to the library. I'm not allowed to study here. I pay tuition just like everyone else."

"You expect me to think this is a coincidence."

"…a coincidence or fate, whichever, but I'm not following you."

Tucker walks away from the desk and he can feel her eyes following him. He chooses a spot that grants him clear visual of her. During her shift, people were in and out. She took breaks from studying to check out a textbook for a few students and to shush a few loud studiers. He liked seeing her in action. He liked seeing her take charge. It was one of the differences between her and Valerie. It was a difference that he liked, but only to a certain extent. He liked her strong, but not too strong. He liked her brave, but she was too brave. Tucker knew that for Erin to be with him completely, he would have to knock her down off a few pedestals. He had to humble her. He wanted her scared, meek and fragile. He needed for her to come crawling to him in desperate need of his protection…and Tucker knew the one way to get that.

Within a few clicks of a button, he places an order. He orders an adult clown costume. Her fear of clowns was going to work in his favor. It was meant for him to hear that story. He'll use it against her and she'll have no other option than to come running into his arms. Tucker leaves a few minutes before her shift ends. He makes it back to his car and realizes only two vehicles are left in the garage; hers and his. The parking garage lights are dim. Anything can happen. He can't leave…not until Erin makes it to her car.

Lindsay hits the lights and exits the dark library. She's holding her backpack, purse and laptop bag with her phone pressed between her shoulder and ear, "I'm staying over your apartment tonight." Her voice is a whisper so she can listen and pay attention to her surroundings.

"Okay, did you eat?"

"Yeah," she answers, crossing the empty street, "I just got off work."

"So how is your friend?" She can hear the smirk that's most likely against his lips.

"I wish you guys would stop calling him that. He's not my friend! He's not my boyfriend! He's not anything but a creep, and I would really love it if you all would stop joking around about it!" Erin drops her purse, "Damn it!" Fortunately, nothing fell out. All she had to do was reach down and pick it back up.

Jay is quiet. Tucker's innocent crush on her was the butt of their jokes. Sometimes Burgess and Voight would even join in. Erin assured them all he wasn't a threat, and therefore their guard dropped a little. They trusted her instincts. She knew him better than they did. If he was a threat, she would know and tell them. Once she reassured them, they started joking around about him more. They trusted her, and with work at the unit, they trusted she would come to them if needed. They couldn't watch her 24/7.

"Erin, what's wrong?"

"Nothing is-"

"Don't lie to me Erin. What's wrong? What's going on?"

She arrives at the parking garage. On one end she sees Tucker, sitting against the trunk of his car as he watches her. He watches her walk towards her car. She blinks and the next moment he's gone, "I'm…I'm being paranoid Jay." Her eyes occasionally glance back at the car, "Tucker's driving me crazy. I think I'm starting to see him now," she looks back at the car across the parking garage, and she sees his form sitting on top of the trunk, "I think I'm looking right at him." She feels like she's losing her mind.

"Is he there? Want me to come pick you up?"

She's at her car, unlocking the door, "No," she looks back over and she doesn't see Tucker, "I think I'm imagining it. No one's there."

"Erin-"

"Jay, it's okay."

"Voight was right. He should have stayed with you a little longer."

"No," she's sliding into the driver's seat, "I'm fine! You don't need to worry."

"I always worry, especially when you call me freaking out over this guy."

She's strapping her seatbelt, "I knew I shouldn't have said anything."

"That's the thing," Jay's pacing in his apartment, "You haven't said anything. Talk to me."

"So, you can run and tell my dad?"

"Erin-"

"No," Lindsay starts her car, and the moment she looks back to glance at the car parked across the parking lot, she realizes it's gone, "I know where your loyalties lie. The second I tell you something, you rush and tell him…all of you do. When it comes to me and my father, you're more loyal to him than me."

Jay's hand is pressed against his forehead, "He's my boss!"

"And I'm your girlfriend! I've known you longer! I got you the job with him!" Erin remains parked. She doesn't want to drive while still on the phone.

"I got that job because of my own merit!"

"Right, of course you did." She locks her car doors, "You know how many people apply to Intelligence every year with credentials just as good as yours? You got that job because you're banging the boss's daughter and he figured you would know every aspect about my life that he doesn't. You're his little spy Halstead, and you're definitely living up to it."

"Bye Erin."

"Bye Jay." The call ends abruptly.

Erin releases a loud scream from within her car. She slams her hand against the wheel as she throws her phone into the passenger seat. Lindsay was stressed. Besides school and work, there was the large issue of Tucker. She wanted to tell Jay or Kim or her dad, but she knew telling them would shift her entire life. He didn't break any laws. All they would be able to legally do is give him a warning –which she has done countless times- and tell her that if he escalates to report it to them. That's the only impact it would have on Tucker's life, but her life would take a huge turn. Her dad would force her to move back into his house. He'll want constant updates on what she's doing at every second of the day. He'll trace her phone. He'll send officers to pop in on her. She can't live like a criminal. She can't live being watched for who knows how long.

Tucker did indeed sit on the trunk of the car. He wanted to play mind games on her. Every time she turned around, he disappeared behind his car. The movement in her steps and her body language made him aware of just how nervous and freaked out she was. When she hopped inside her car, Tucker chose that moment to leave. He wanted to go to her place. Her alarm wasn't on…and he heard her mention to Jay that she was staying at his place tonight.

The 27 year old made it to her apartment, picked the lock swiftly and stepped inside. Apartment locks were always easier to get into. She didn't have a deadbolt. He eyed her alarm system as he walked further inside. Tucker was exhausted. He was tired. The man made his way to her bedroom and turned on the light; he needed something of hers to sleep with. After opening up her drawer, grabbing a piece of clothing she owned, he smelled it. It smelt like laundry detergent. Knowing she wore this article of clothing sent amazing tremors through his body. Tucker kicked off his shoes, hit the light and climbed into her bed. His head pressed against the pillow, as he pulled the article of clothing closer to his body.

The man was seconds away from falling to sleep when he hears the front door open. Erin is home. She was no longer staying over Jay's place after their argument that Tucker knew nothing about. He quickly -but quietly- hops to his feet; time was of the essence. He hears her set her keys down and go to open the refrigerator, "Damn it!" he hears something shatter; maybe a cup or plate. Tucker kicks his shoes underneath the bed, clenches onto the article of clothing tighter and crawls under. He's on his stomach. Fortunately for him, his phone was still in his car. There was nothing on him that could possibly make a noise.

Minutes later, Erin enters her bedroom. She hits the light and he sees her bare feet walking against the carpet. There's a band-aid on the top of her foot. The cut or plate most likely fell against her foot when it shattered. He wanted to reach from underneath her bed to grab and massage it. He wanted to kiss it for her. She was hurt and he couldn't comfort her. Articles of Erin's clothing falls to the floor as she strips down into her underwear; Tucker wishes he was watching on his laptop. He couldn't see anything besides her feet and legs. He doesn't know what she changes into, but after she finishes changing, she hits the light.

Erin's sniffling as she crawls onto her bed. She's obviously crying. Her head hits her pillow and she pulls her covers over her shoulders. She's wiping the corner of her eyes as she stares forward. She has to remind herself. Tucker is just creepy. He hasn't done anything to hurt you. He won't. He's just persistent. Erin thinks to herself that he's not thinking about her. The week was over for Erin since she finished classes on Thursday. She had a week to get herself together. Next Saturday was the award ceremony for her dad. She was going to be in an auditorium full of cops. If anyone questioned her, they'll see through anything she says. She has nine days to get herself together. Nine days should be enough time. It took her longer than usual to fall asleep, but the moment she did, it felt like the weight of the world was off her shoulders.


	11. Fanatic

**Thank you everyone for your amazing reviews and great perspectives. Honestly, it's you all's words of kindness and support that gives me the urge to update so often. I'm glad you guys are sticking with me through this rollercoaster of a ride. Here's another lengthy chapter…Enjoy!**

 _Friday:_

Erin shoots up in a panic. Her body is sweating and she's out of breath. She had a horrible nightmare. The thundering and lightning outside of her window didn't help but add to the tense and daunting atmosphere. Erin is breathing hard. It felt like someone was watching her. The nightmare had felt so real. She reaches onto her nightstand and checks the time. It's almost seven in the morning.

Lindsay is trying to control her breathing. She's too on edge. Everything about the dream felt real. She was in her apartment and someone was watching her from the shadows. Her hands are trembling against her sides. She wants to call someone but she can't bring herself to do it. Jay's mad at her. Her dad would probably move back in for another week. Burgess is dealing with Ruzek related issues. And there was no one else after them. No one else she could call.

The 24 year old's throat is dry. She attempts to clear it, but it's a fruitless attempt. Erin throws the covers off of her body and stands up. It is pitch black in her bedroom. She walks out and into the hall. She needs something to drink to loosen up her dry throat. The moment she steps out of her bedroom, Tucker opens her closet and walks out. It was definitely a close one. He couldn't stop himself. He couldn't fight the urge not to come out from under the bed. He wanted to watch her sleep. He had to watch her. He couldn't physically stop himself. The moment she stirred, he panicked. He ran and hid in her closet.

The young woman is sitting on her couch, nursing a glass of cold water. Every light in the living room, hallway and kitchen is on. She's too on edge. She can't control her nerves. Tucker has her paranoid. He has her looking over her shoulder. Erin sets her glass of water down onto the coffee table and decides to make a phone call. She needed to talk to someone. Erin calls Burgess.

The phone rang for a few seconds before a drained voice answered, "Hello," Kim was definitely still asleep and normally Erin wouldn't have bothered her at this time of day, but she needed to talk to someone. Kim has called her plenty of times to vent about work or her personal life.

"…sorry for bothering you," Lindsay didn't expect her voice to sound so sad…so afraid.

"Erin," Burgess sits up in the bed, ignoring Ruzek's tired groans of protest, "what's wrong?" This earns the attention of Adam. He sits up in the bed and looks at Burgess worriedly.

"It's going to sound stupid," Erin brushes a few strands of hair behind her ear. She's sitting on the couch, her legs folded beneath her as the phone is pressed against her ear, "Oh gosh, this is going to sound really stupid."

"What is it?" Kim is encouraging. She doesn't sound judgmental or irritated at all.

"Have you ever had the feeling that someone is watching you?"

Tucker stands under the threshold of Erin's bedroom doorway. He watches the back of her head. He had all of the control. He could literally do anything he wanted right now.

"You think someone's watching you?" Kim presses as Adam mouths to his girlfriend his concern. He wants to know what's going on. He needs to know if there's an emergency before he heads back to bed. He could have Voight and Halstead on the phone in the next minute. Ruzek just needed to know something.

"It sounds stupid right?"

Kim swats Adam away, "No. No, of course not," She holds a finger up to Ruzek. She wants to get more information before jumping to any conclusions. Burgess hops out of bed, "What happened? What made you think someone's watching you?"

Tucker is watching her. He can hear the fear in her voice, the paranoia in her body language and the tension in her shoulders. Tucker had her scared. He gave in to the smile tugging at his lips. Her hand is shaking as she lifts her glass of water, "I had a nightmare," she admitted. Erin felt embarrassed. She wasn't a little girl. She should be able to have a nightmare and move on with her life, but the authenticity of the dream felt real. Every aspect felt like it really happened. Lindsay takes a small sip of water and sits the glass back down, "It felt so real. It felt like someone was watching me as I slept Kim. It felt like someone was taking pictures of me. It felt like someone touched me."

"Touched you where?" Her question earns the rising brow of Adam.

"My hair," Erin ran her fingers through it, "my thigh…my foot. I hurt it before bed," she's looking down at the bandage, "It felt like someone kissed it."

"Erin-"

"I know it sounds crazy!" Her voice is a desperate plea for believability, "I know it sounds weird, but Kim I'm telling you, it felt so real! What if someone was really watching me?"

"Let's not jump to conclusions…"

Lindsay ignores her response, "What if someone's here?" Erin drops her feet to the ground and stands up, "What if someone's in my apartment Burgess?"

"No one is in your apartment."

Adam mouths to his girlfriend to place the phone on speaker. He had his phone out and his thumb was hovering over Hank Voight's number. Working for Hank Voight was definitely different than working for anyone else. Erin was raised around cops. It's how she spent her entire life. Before she started school, she spent most of her days at the precinct with her grandfather and dad. When Erin grew up, most people expected for her to become a police officer, but she chose a different path. She chose the law pathway. When Ruzek first started working for Voight two years ago, he had to learn the dos and don'ts of working under such a man whose lines were always blurred. Everything wasn't black and white when it came to the job, and everything definitely wasn't black and white when it came to an extended portion of the job; Erin Voight. Hank understood that Erin was an adult who deserved privacy, but he also understood that Erin was his daughter who hated asking for help. If a member of the unit knew she was in trouble, it was an extended portion of their job to notify him immediately.

"You don't know that," Erin's voice is barely above a whisper.

Burgess takes Ruzek's phone away from him, "Erin, is your alarm on?"

"No, I forgot to put it on." She gets up and walks over to it, "I'm putting it on now."

"If someone's inside, then it'll be pointless."

Erin's breath hitches in her throat. She overhears Adam's comment, earning him a smack in the chest from Burgess. Tucker doesn't see Erin anymore. He knows she's near the alarm.

"Do you want to look around? We can stay on the phone with you."

"Look around," Erin repeats, striking fear inside of Tucker's being, "What if I find someone?"

"You won't," Burgess assures her best friend.

From the moment he hears of the possibility of her looking around, he gets nervous. She can't find him now. It's not time. Tucker begins searching. He needs a beanie, a ski mask, something to cover his face. He begins searching through her drawer, being mindful of keeping her room exactly the way she always has it. He doesn't want there to be any indication that someone is here. He'll have her just think it was all a dream.

"I hear something," Erin whispers, glancing down the hall at her opened bedroom door.

"Are you sure or is your mind playing a trick on you again?"

Ruzek's question brings forth doubt. She was seeing things in the parking garage and now it's a possibility that she might be hearing things. Erin takes a step towards her bedroom. Tucker's ready. A ski mask is covering his face just in case. His back is pressed against the side wall. He has no idea what he's going to do when she arrives, but he has to get out of there.

"The nightmare felt so real Burgess," Erin whispers, walking down the hallway.

"I know, but just keep walking. You'll see. It was all in your head."

Erin peeks into her bedroom, phone pressed against her ear as she steps inside. She's breathing silently. Her heart is racing and beating hard against her chest. She's terrified. Erin wants to cry. Her free hand covers her mouth as she tries to suppress a scream. She sees someone. Someone is hiding behind her curtains. His feet are without shoes. The remainder of his body is shielded by the curtain. He truly thinks he's out of sight.

"Erin," Ruzek is the one to speak up after moments of silence, "what's…what's going on?"

She quietly backs away, "Call my dad," her voice is barely above a whisper.

"What?" Neither one of them heard what she had said.

Lindsay grabs the doorknob to her bedroom door and slams it shut. She's running down the hallway, "Call my dad! Someone's in my apartment!" She doesn't think to go to her burglar alarm. Her first thought is to leave her apartment. She rushes into the hallway. The around the clock security guard lived on the sixth floor. The young woman shoved her phone into her pocket as she climbed the stairs.

Kim remained on the phone with Lindsay as Adam called Voight. She listened in to hear Erin breathing erractically. She's terrified and out of breath.

"Erin, we're on our way," Burgess informs, grabbing her badge and gun. Adam is on the phone with Voight and is doing the same as his girlfriend.

Lindsay doesn't hear them. Her fist is beating against Eric's door. She's rocking back and forth on her bare feet as she waits for him to answer, "Eric!" She's knocking again, "ERIC!" The door swings open and she steps inside, "Someone broke into my apartment. He's in there right now!"

Eric grabs his nightstick as he rushes out of his apartment. She trails behind. His nightstick will be useless if this person has a real weapon. She's a nice distance behind Eric when she realizes that Burgess was still on the phone, "Hello," she presses the phone against her ear. She doesn't hear anything. It's silence. Lindsay remains upstairs, standing in front of the security guard's door. She's pacing. The phone is pressed to her ear as she waits for Burgess to get back She's taking entirely too long. Erin hangs up.

Lindsay goes to the steps and takes a seat on the top. Her arms wrap around her legs as she buries her face into her lap. She remains that way for as long as she can remember. She sits still, her eyes closed and head on her lap until she feels a hand touch her shoulder. Out of fright, she jumps, and her head shoots up, "It's just me." Erin sees Jay. She sighs in relief and throws her arms around his shoulders. Her head buries into the crook of his neck, "I'm here…so are Burgess, Ruzek and Voight. They're in your apartment with Eric."

"I'm sorry for what I said. None of it is true," she begins her apology, not wanting to think of the reason they were called in the first place, "My dad wouldn't hire you if you weren't good police. I was just stressed and paranoid, and I shouldn't have allowed that to affect the way I treated you. I'm sorry Jay."

"Erin, it's okay. I'm not here because of that."

He pulls her to her feet, "My apartment…"

"No one is there."

"He must have panicked and left," she releases a sigh of relief, "I'm so tired. I just want to go back to sleep. I have a free day today, and Burgess and I are going shopping for dresses on Saturday."

"Your dad wants to see you," Jay speaks softly, caressing her face with the palm of his hand.

Erin heads back down the stairs. Halstead is following closely behind, keeping a watchful eye on her. He's worried. From his conversation with her earlier today, he can tell that something is weighing heavy on her mind. She looks tired. Her tolerance is low. Erin was going through something and telling no one about it.

"Hey kid," Voight gives his daughter a small smile, "Are you okay?"

"Do you want me to describe what he looks like?" Erin wants to focus on the intruder, "If you do, I won't be much help. I didn't see his face. I only saw his feet...well his socks."

"Are you positive someone was here?"

"…yes," she hears the doubt in his voice.

"Eric didn't see anyone." He nods towards the security guard.

"He probably ran out of here the moment I went upstairs to get him."

Voight's arms are wrapped around his daughter. She's trembling, "I believe you think you saw someone. I just don't know whether or not they were really here."

"I saw his socks."

"Jay said you thought you saw someone in the parking garage at school." She eyes her boyfriend from over her father's shoulder. Jay didn't listen to a word she said. Everything she told him, he reported it right back to her dad.

"That was different. I was hallucinating then, but I saw someone here. I know I did."

"Is anything missing?"

"I'm not sure," she shrugs.

"Was your alarm on?"

"No," she hesitantly shakes her head.

"What's the point of me buying you a burglar alarm system if you're not going to use it Erin?"

"I forgot."

"…And you see what happens when you do."

She didn't have to put up with this. She wasn't in the mood for any of it. Erin walked towards the front door of her apartment and reopened it, "Goodnight…or I guess good morning everyone."

"You want me to leave?" Jay was curious to know. He figured after her scare tonight she would want someone to stay with her.

"It seems I imagined it all," she's eyeing her father, nodding her head towards the front door, "at least according to you," she turns to face her boyfriend, "and you. It would be no reason for you to stay since it was all in my head."

Hank attempts to talk to his daughter, "Erin, we don't think you made it up. We believe you."

"Goodnight," she repeats.

"A description of his feet…I mean of his socks doesn't give us much." Jay responds, as she points her finger out of her apartment. She wanted them out.

"Look around and make a list of anything that is missing."

"Goodnight dad," she responds to her father's words. She was tired. Her eyelids yearned to close, but she couldn't comfortably sleep with everyone still in her apartment.

"I'll see you on Saturday Erin. Call me anytime."

Lindsay doesn't respond. She simply waves at her friends as they leave her apartment. Hank closes the door behind the departing figures of Burgess, Ruzek and eventually Eric. He waves his daughter towards the alarm system, "Turn your alarm on."

"You have to leave first. I don't want to have to turn it off and then on again."

"We're staying the night," he points between him and Jay.

"…definitely not."

"Erin-" Jay attempts to speak, but she cuts him off.

"I'm not going to sit here and have you two look at me like I'm crazy. I know what I saw. Someone hid behind my curtains. Someone was here. It's not my lack of sleep speaking. It's not the stress. It's not my nightmare. Someone was here…and you guys don't believe me!"

"You admitted that you were imagining-"

"I was imagining Tucker, Jay! I wasn't imagining some robber in my house!"

"Even if someone was in here Erin," Voight goes to take seat on the couch. He's getting himself comfortable, "A description of his feet won't help us catch the guy. Search around your apartment. If anything is missing we'll go to the insurance company, but realistically speaking, I don't think we'll be able to find and catch this intruder. There's not enough evidence. You didn't even see his face. I'm sorry kid, but my hands are tied."

Erin is silent. Growing up, her father had always been this unstoppable hero in her eyes. She knew if she ever went to her father with a problem, he would fix it. She wasn't used to him having his hands metaphorically tied behind his back. She understood though. She couldn't be mad. The chances of catching an intruder were slim to none, especially when the one witness didn't know what he looked like. Erin ran her fingers through her hair and turned to walk into her bedroom. She lies on top of her covers and stares forward in the direction of the window. Was it all a dream? Nothing seemed to be out of place.

She felt tears collect in her eyes and fall against her pillow. She didn't wipe them away. She allowed them to trail down her cheeks. She didn't know who was in her apartment. She didn't know if someone was actually here, but she knew why she was paranoid. She knew why she was on edge, tense, nervous and worried. His name is Tucker and from the moment she met him her life had been slowly and lethargically spiraling out of control. Erin felt a dip in her bed. She didn't turn around to see who it was. For the moment, she didn't care. Was her nightmare seeping into reality? The dream she had, did it just feel real to the point where she actually thought it happened. An arm wrapped around her waist, and she felt her boyfriend snuggle against her from behind. Erin rolled over and faced him, "I'm sorry again. I didn't mean anything I said. I spoke out of anger and I shouldn't have done that." She felt him kiss her forehead, "I apologize."

 _Saturday:_

Retail therapy was definitely needed for Erin to clear her mind. After three hours of shopping with Burgess, she felt so much better. She got a dress for the award ceremony and a few pairs of shoes. After she woke up again Friday afternoon, she spent the day with her dad and Jay. Neither one of them wanted to wake her. They let her sleep as long as she needed, and when she opened her eyes Friday afternoon and saw the time, she knew she was suffering from a lack of sleep.

Nothing in her apartment was missing. Everything was in place. Erin had just imagined it all. A lack of sleep was definitely serious. She needed at least five hours every night. Regardless of how busy she is, she had to make sure she _at least_ got that amount. The moment she knew that no one broke and entered in her place, she felt ten times better. She was safe the entire time. Nothing was stolen, her dad cooked dinner last night, and she helped her father write his acceptance speech. Yesterday was a good day. Shopping today with Burgess was just icing on the cake. The pair is walking towards the food court –holding four bags a piece- with a nice pep in their step. Erin could breathe. She didn't feel overwhelmed or stressed out or frazzled. Erin felt good…really good.

Tucker is watching. He has to maintain a distance, at least for the time being. Yesterday was too close of a call. He has to let it fizzle out. Tucker is forced to watch her via surveillance camera, through following her and snapping photos on his cell phone. He's willing to do whatever it takes to keep a watchful eye on her. It's to keep her safe. He isn't a creep. He knows he's far from it. Everything he does is to get closer to her. It's to protect her. It's to love her. He loved her so much that sometimes it hurt. It hurt when she rejected him. It hurt when she pretended to love her boyfriend when she really loved him. He snapped a few more photos. She was so happy.

Kim and Erin stand in line, setting their bags beside their feet, as they scan the menu in search of what they want to order. Kim is rocking forwards and backwards, already knowing what she's going to get. She watches Erin…she really watches her as the younger woman decides mentally what she's in the mood to order.

"So," Kim begins, sliding her bags forward as the line moves up, "you and Jay were arguing?"

"…not anymore," Erin picks her bags up and steps onward, "Wait," she sets her bags back down, "how do you know that? How did you find out? Did Jay-"

"…no, Jay didn't tell me," Kim momentarily ends the conversation as she orders and pays for her meal. Erin is at the second cash register doing the same. It takes less than a few minutes. And the moment both women are finished ordering, Kim continues, "I have eyes Erin. When he came over Friday morning, Jay was worried about where you were. Eric told him upstairs on the sixth floor and he kind of hesitated before he went up. He was nervous about what you would say to him. It took Ruzek giving him a reassuring pat on the back for him to go."

"It was kind of because of Tucker," Erin begins, grabbing her bag of food after they called her name, "that's why we were arguing."

Burgess grabs her food, "I thought the Tucker issues were over. I thought you cut him out of your life."

"He is," Erin leads them to a table, "…kind of." She sets her bags down, "It's confusing. We weren't arguing just because of Tucker." Erin flops down into her seat, "He made me mad and I said some pretty mean things to him. I apologized though. We're good now."

"What about Tucker?"

"Jay and I are good now Kim. Enough about my relationship," Erin begins nibbling on a potato chip, "How are you and Ruzek doing? How's living with the boyfriend working for you?"

"I wanted to get your advice on something," Burgess lowers her voice as if Ruzek was near.

Erin knew what this was most likely about, but she didn't give any hints that she did, "go ahead."

"Do you think Adam is cheating on me?"

"What…" Erin acted surprised, "No! Of course not Kimberly!"

"…you know."

"What?"

"Roman told you."

"What?"

"I'm not mad."

Kim silently begins eating at her burger. Erin stops eating. She's watching her best friend, waiting to hear what she has to say. Lindsay leans forward on her elbows, "Talk to me."

"I was going to come to you for advice, but I just felt like you were too busy."

"What?" Erin whispers, shaking her head, "I'm never too busy to be your friend. You can come to me anytime and talk to me about anything."

"…I know that," Burgess smiles, shrugging her shoulders, "I just didn't want to tell you about my problems when I know you have your own."

Tucker continues to watch and take photos. He's barely standing up straight. His dark, sunken eyes carry bags beneath them indicating his lack of sleep. He managed to grab a few hours of sleep in his car, but Erin and her friend left to go to the mall too early for him to gather enough sleep. Every day he has gotten on average about three or four hours of sleep. He didn't want to miss out on anything. Everything Erin did, he wanted to know about and see. She gave him energy, whether she knew about it or not.

The 27 year old broke out of his reverie. He sees her. She sees him. Erin immediately rises to her feet; grabs her trash, and shopping bags and walks away. Burgess is surprised. She was in the middle of a conversation and Erin just got up and walked away. She threw her trash into the garbage can and waited for her to follow. Tucker takes a step back. He didn't want for her to see him today. That wasn't his intention.

"Erin!" Burgess is collecting her trash, "Wait," she grabs her shopping bags and rushes over to her friend, standing near the garbage can, "Why did you just take off?"

"Aren't we done?"

"Done shopping?" Erin nods to answer Kim's question, "Yeah we're finished, but we were talking and eating…and enjoying ourselves. What's up with you?"

"It's nothing."

"Erin, there is something obviously wrong. Something has you spooked. You want me to come to you with my problems; well you can come to me too. Friendship works both ways. You can confide in me Erin," Burgess is holding onto the wrist of her friend. She doesn't want her to leave. She doesn't want her to run away. Kim has known her best friend for some time now, and she knew that Erin had a way of running from her problems and denying her emotions. She didn't like asking people for help. Erin was strong, and she felt with that strength she could take care of herself without anyone else's assistance.

Lindsay pulled her wrist from her friend's hold, "I can take care of myself Burgess. I have everything under control."

"I don't doubt that, but just tell me about it."

Erin bites down upon her lip, "I know what I'm doing Kim. I want to try something. If it doesn't work, I'll come to you."

"What is it about? What are you going to do?"

"I'm going to take back my life," Erin tightens the grip around her bags and begins walking towards the exit of the mall, leaving a dumbfounded Burgess behind her.

Kim is utterly confused, "Take back your life, what does that even mean?!"

 _Sunday:_

Sunday dinner with her dad seemed to come so fast. On today's menu he made spaghetti. It's one of her favorite recipes, yet all she could do was poke around her food. Erin took a few bites when dinner was first served, but she lost her appetite. She pushed her plate away, and looked up to see her father's eyes were on her the entire time.

"I'm not that hungry," she attempts to explain.

Voight cracks a cautious grin, "Something must be wrong because you never turn down a meal."

"Dad, can we cut dinner short today?"

"Why?" Voight was worried. He was done eating.

"I just have a long day tomorrow. I have classes and then I'm going to the park to jog for about an hour or two. I have a paper due Thursday that I need to start on. I just have a lot."

Hank pulls a chair up beside his daughter, "Want to do dinner after the ceremony on Saturday?"

"Yeah," she gives him a kind smile, "That'll be great."

Voight leaned forward and pecked his daughter's forehead. He disappeared a few seconds later to grab Tupperware to wrap her leftovers up. As Hank stood in the kitchen, grabbing containers, he occasionally glanced back at Erin. He saw her on her phone, her meal an afterthought. Hank figured she was probably still spooked from Friday morning and thinking someone broke into her place. He couldn't blame her. When she was a little girl, their house was robbed…maybe those memories had something to do with her. It could have brought forth unresolved issues.

Tucker was frantic. He had spent the last hour texting, calling and emailing Erin. He was worried. The 27 year old had no idea where she was. It was his job and duty to look out for her. He had to always know her location. He had to know what she was doing, when she was doing it and who she was doing it with. It was his right. It was his role as her boyfriend. When he got home from spending the day watching Erin jog through downtown, he figured he would see her on the screen moments afterwards. She did in fact go home, shower, and get dressed, but seconds following, she left back out. Tucker was nervous. Anything could happen to her. He wasn't there to protect her. She's such an innocent woman in this dark and cold world. Tucker had to find her.

He convinces himself to go to her place. He knows she warned him away, but he's concerned. Tucker gets back into his vehicle and speeds to her apartment. He broke a few traffic laws, but it was worth it. She wasn't responding to his messages. What was he supposed to think? Tucker paced in front of her door, knocking occasionally. It was a fruitless effort because he knew she wasn't home, but he had to do something. He wished she would answer, but his calls would be sent straight to voicemail. A few hours passed and he remained in front of her door. His back pressed against the wood, and he slides down the frame. If someone had hurt her, he would never forgive himself. He vowed after Valerie that he would never lose another woman he loves. Every part of him loved that woman. He thought he felt love for Valerie but it wasn't real. He didn't know what real love felt like until he met Erin. She was who he was meant to be with; Erin Rhodes, it has a nice ring to it. He sighs contently at the image of them together forever.

Lindsay runs up each stair, holding her bag of leftover food, as she holds onto the railing. As she reaches her floor, she sees him. He's sitting in front of her place, with his back leaning against the wall. She stops, "Get out of here."

He jumps up, "Erin," he's relieved to see her, "You're okay." Tucker takes a step towards her and she steps back, "I was so worried about you."

"Get out of here Tucker."

"Why?" He's absolutely confused.

"Are you seriously asking me why?" Her eyes are wide in disbelief, "You are unbelievable. You are crazy. And you are really testing my patience."

He takes another step towards her, "Erin."

"Eric!" Lindsay shouts desperately. She knows the around the clock security guard was currently making his rounds through the ten-floor building, "ERIC!"

"What are you doing?"

"I warned you," She's suppressing the tears in her ears, "I told you to stay away from me! I told you to get out of here! I meant what I said! We're not friends! We're nothing Tucker…nothing!"

"You're lying to yourself," he edges himself further to her.

"No, no I'm not. You're lying to yourself. You convinced yourself that we're friends-"

"because we are," he interrupts.

"No we aren't," she takes a look back, "ERIC!" Where the hell is the security guard?

Lindsay doesn't feel like arguing and shouting his name. She turns on her heel and starts running back down the stairs. She's taking two steps at a time as she hears Tucker following behind her. He's calling out her name. He's pleading with her to stop. He's reaching out to grab her. He just wants to explain himself to her. If she would just stop and listen, she'll understand where he's coming from. Erin is on the first floor and she approaches the security door, "Eric!" her fist is banging against it.

"Erin, please just hear me out."

"No!"

"I…I-" Tucker is prepared to admit his love for her. She has to understand why he's so persistent. It's because he loves her. And there is nothing she or anyone else can do about it.

The security room's door swings open, "Erin, what's going on?"

"It's him," she points at Tucker.

Eric recognizes him, "We met a few days ago."

"He keeps following me. He won't leave me alone."

Tucker's hands are in the air, "This is just one big misunderstanding. She's mad at me because I hurt her feelings…I'm just trying to apologize."

"The lady doesn't want you here, so you should go," Eric waves for Tucker to follow him to the exit, "You have no reason to be on this property. You don't live here, and the one person you know doesn't want anything to do with you. If I catch you back here, I'll have you arrested for trespassing. Goodbye, and do yourself a favor and not come back."

Erin catches his eye before he leaves. He smiles at her. He gives her a wink. She rolls her eyes and shudders. Eric waves for the 24 year old to follow him. He'll walk her back to her apartment. Tucker is standing outside, in the cold mid-October air. Eric was just another challenge Tucker will have to overcome. Telling a stupid security guard means nothing. He'll come back. He'll have her…and if Eric tries to do anything to stop him, he'll just end up like Valerie.

 _Monday:_

Earphones loudly play music in hear ears as she pushes to keep up with the fast beat of the song. She's jogging in a different location. She's at a different park. It's the park she normally goes with Jay to when they're jogging at night. It's daytime. She came right after her last class. Jogging helps her relieve stress. Since last night, a weight did feel like it was lifted off of her shoulders. She hopes Eric's words stick with Tucker. She received no more texts, emails, phone calls or voicemails the entire day. Usually Tucker cannot go a whole hour without contacting her in some way. He didn't even sit next to her in class…well, he didn't come to class.

Erin's workout shoes hit against the pavement as she quickens her run. Her breathing is concentrated and even. She's focused on her pace. She's focused on the pathway. She's focused on her surroundings. There are a few joggers out. Most people don't go out jogging in the middle of a Monday afternoon. This place is more filled during the weekends or weekday mornings. Her feet hits against the pavement with each step as she draws herself to a halt. Lindsay pulls an earphone out of her ear as she looks around.

She's paranoid. She wants to think it's all over, but she has a feeling it isn't. There's a feeling in her gut that tells her someone's watching. Erin sees nobody. She doesn't even see another jogger. The ones she did see must have a great distance on her. They're no longer in her line of vision. Erin is alone. She notices her shoelaces are coming undone and begins to walk over to a park bench. As she ties the shoe, the feeling is still there. She can't get passed it. Eric got rid of him. Eric sent him away. He got the hint. Normally, Tucker would have called her, sent her a present, did something to try and earn her forgiveness. After he left, he didn't do anything.

The 24 year old sees a jogger. He's running closer and closer. His pace is quick. He's unexperienced. You can tell he doesn't jog often. His breathing is uneven. It's not concentrated. As he gets closer, Erin sees him. Her breath catches in her throat. It's him. She covers her mouth as she unsuccessfully attempts to subdue the tears growing in her eyes.

"Erin, what a coincidence seeing you here," Tucker is smiling. It's like nothing in the last day or two has happened. He's looking at her as if they're old school friends. He approaches her, "Are you…are you crying?" He reaches his hand out to touch her shoulder, but she swats him away.

She gets up off of the bench, "Leave me alone." Erin wants to continue jogging, but her peaceful atmosphere is ruined. Lindsay begins walking in the opposite direction. She wants to go back to her car and drive home.

"Don't walk away from me," he says it like a petulant child. She continues to walk away, "I said don't walk away from me Erin! You are very disrespectful and rude!"

Erin doesn't respond. She quickens her step before she breaks out into a sprint. She needed to get near people. She needed to at least see one other person. Her teary eyes blur her vision. She hears Tucker behind her. He's catching up. He's running desperately. He wants to talk to her. She stumbles, but she doesn't fall.

"Erin, what is going on with you?" He catches up to her. She sees people, and she's more content. If he does try something, it won't be out here in front of all these people. He can't be that stupid. Lindsay toughens a bit.

She wipes her eyes with the back of her hand, "What's going on with me? There's nothing going on with me. What's going on with you? You're the problem! You have serious issues!" Her voice is getting louder, earning her the nosey ears of walkers and joggers near them, "You desperately want a friend, that's obvious, but you'll never have any."

"Don't say that," he's avoiding eye contact. He's looking down at the ground.

"You want love, but you'll never get it."

"Stop it," he's covering his ears, trying to block out her voice. It isn't working.

"All of this you're doing is a waste of time. You are a literal waste of space. You mean nothing to me or anyone else and nothing you can do will change that. You will die alone." Erin shoves him away from her. She steps back, her fists clenched, warning him to follow her. She turns on her heel and continues to walk away.

"We'll see about that," Tucker whispers turning to walk in the opposite direction.

Tucker didn't know who she thought she was. What gave her the right to speak to him like that?! She's his girl! She's his girlfriend! He has the control! He has the power! She doesn't! She has nothing! She is nothing without him. He's so furious. He's breathing ruggedly through his nostrils. He's erratic, irrational and impulsive. Tucker will give her the rest of the week. He'll give her a chance to come to her senses and apologize. His relationship with her will not turn out like his relationship with Valerie did. He feels himself spiraling. There's nothing he can do about it. Valerie got away. Tucker isn't sure about a lot of things, but he is sure about one thing. He won't make that mistake again.

 _Tuesday:_

Bright and early Tuesday morning, he's knocking at her door. Classes were cancelled today. They were expecting some harsh weather on this cold and extremely chilly mid-October day. He arrives unannounced and uninvited. He knows she's home. Before he came over, he saw her on the camera. Tucker is very aware. He prides himself on knowing every aspect of Erin's life.

As Jay showered, Erin was on cooking duty. The moment she pulled out the bacon and eggs was when the first knock hit against her door. There was a quick pep in her step as she approached it. The smile completely dropped from her face the second she looked through the peephole. She sees him. It's Tucker. He's holding an envelope. Erin quiets herself. She lowers her breathing and presses her body silently against the door. If she acted like she wasn't home, he'll think she's not home. However Tucker knew one thing that she didn't. He knew she was here.

"Erin, I know you're inside. I'll wait."

Lindsay didn't want Jay to find out. She wanted to solve this problem on her own. She didn't need her father or boyfriend coming to her rescue. She was an adult. She was a grown woman. She could take care of herself. Against her better judgment, she opens the door.

"I'm glad you answered. I brought this for you," he extends the envelope; "I suggest you read it when you're alone."

"I thought I made myself loud and clear."

"You did," he smirks, nodding at her last response, "and I gave you some time to come to your senses. I know you've been through some things these last few days so I won't hold you accountable for what you said out of anger."

She chuckles dryly, "You are delusional." The smile falls from his face, "I don't know what else I can do or say to convince you that everything I have said was the truth. You will always be alone. We will never be together as friends or romantic partners. Your friendship with me –no matter how short it lasted- was a burden. You aren't worth losing my mind over. If you disappeared, no one will notice. I don't like you. I can't stand to be in your presence. There is a reason why you don't have any friends Tucker. You need to grow up. You need to get yourself together and stop it. I want you to stay away from me. I hate you. I hate you Tucker."

"Don't say something you'll regret." He warned. His fingers are tapping madly against his sides.

"It's the truth. I never thought I could be capable of hating someone, but I guess anything is possible. So, I'll take your stupid letter, I'll read it and then I'll throw it in the trash like I do everything else you have given me. Goodbye."

Tucker can't think of any words to say. He growls. He actually growls before he storms off. She finally got a reaction out of him. It's the most he has ever given her besides appreciation and adoration. Erin slammed the door, holding the letter tight in her hand, before shoving it into her back pocket. She returns to the kitchen, wipes the look of fear off of her face before resuming the meal. The 27 year old returns to his home in record time, he opens his laptop and continues watching her. His laptop is opened on his table. He's pacing in front of it, his fist making contact with any and everything around him. He throws things to the ground, he kicks stuff all over the place, and he rips down his posters and knocks over his television. When Jay exits the shower, he turns away; he doesn't want to see him get dressed.

"Who was at the door?" Jay asks, departing her room as he ties the strings on his sweatpants.

"It was Eric," she lies with ease. It's become easier the more she does it.

The 27 year old watches Jay kiss her. She's at the stove, cooking breakfast, and his arms were wrapped around her waist. He's standing behind her. His lips trail kisses along her neck. Tucker's fists curled in rage at the thought of them together.

"What did he want?"

Erin rolls her eyes, "He just wanted to check in with me and make sure I'm alright."

"That was nice of him," he drops his arms as someone else knocks at the door; "I'll get it."

She's nervous. She lowers the heat on the stovetop in order to look and see who it could be. Jay opens the door –without checking the peephole- and smiles at the sight of Burgess, Atwater, Ruzek, Roman, Mouse, Dawson, Olinsky and Voight. The whole team was here.

"Hey, what brought you guys here?" Jay lets them in.

"Erin did you forget," Voight catches the confused look on both of their faces, "you invited us over for breakfast today." She sighs. She's just relieved it isn't Tucker.

"Make yourselves at home," Erin whispered, waving them all inside, "breakfast should be ready in a few." Lindsay turns back to resume cooking. She's relieved. It's just her and her family. It's over. Everything should be back to normal. She'll read his letter later and then throw it out.

The food finished minutes later, plates were made and members of the unit sat around the living room. Erin sat comfortably on the couch, the coffee table was positioned perfectly for eating, but she curled one leg beneath her on the couch instead and carefully balanced the plate on her lap. Tucker wanted to be there desperately. He wanted to join in the conversation. They looked like a good family. They were joking around, laughing and having a genuinely nice time in each other's presence.

"Erin is the one who loves to debate!" Kim shot, laughing at Ruzek's last statement.

Jay nudged his girlfriend's side, "She has you on that one babe!"

"I only debate when I think I'm right!" She defended, setting her empty plate down onto the coffee table, "I don't enjoy it. I just do what I have to do." Erin chuckles.

Ruzek leaned over his girlfriend and picked a strip of bacon off Atwater's plate. Atwater shot a side-glare in his direction, "Don't you have to be irritating somewhere else?"

"…not until five," Adam shrugs, earning a laugh from everyone in the room.

Erin's phone vibrated –pulling her attention away from the group- as it shook loudly against the coffee table. Her hand immediately flew out to catch it before it toppled over the edge. Erin wasn't expecting any calls. Everyone who would be calling her was either here or busy at work. The private number lighting across the screen sent a wave of frustration through her. Every time she answered, there was nothing but silence until the line cut out. She grabbed it quickly before anyone noticed. Roman did, yet he said nothing. She slid her cell into her pocket, and with a deep sigh, she composed herself, clasping her hands snugly in her lap, giving a bright smile as she joined back into the conversation.

Tucker watched her. She had some nerve he thought. Today, the package came. He had an idea. He'll give her one last opportunity, if she failed to deliver and apologize, he'll have to teach her a lesson. It's what you do with disobedient people. With a few clicks of a button, and searches online, he found a few locations that sell snakes. Clowns and snakes were her biggest fears...and he was going to play upon them.


	12. Phobia

When Hank Voight's name is called, the auditorium full of law enforcement officers rise to their feet. Hank feels pats along his back as he exits the front row. Erin is beaming proudly; watching him confidently approach the stage. She's clapping –supporting her father as he accepts his award- and Tucker sunk back in his seat; a smile tugging at the corner of his lips as he watched her. Before Voight's name was called, Tucker managed to slip into the dimly lit room, taking a seat at the back of the large auditorium. He deliberately chose this spot to avoid any kind of confrontation. He was in the perfect seat to watch her. He watched the dimples seep into her cheeks as she smiled harder. He took in the elegance of her dress. She looked beautiful in forest green, the trim cut of the dress stopped mid-thigh, while the V-neck cut of the top of the dress helped to frame her shape.

She looked downright gorgeous and it took every fiber of his being to control himself. Tucker smiled as the clapping died down. Voight was ready to give his speech. Hank gave thanks to everyone; his boss, the community, other law enforcement officers, his team and most importantly his daughter. She is the number one reason he goes out every day. He wants to make the streets safe for her. Jay's arm wrapped around Erin's shoulders and he pulled her gently towards him. She felt her boyfriend press a kiss against the side of her head as they continued to listen in on her dad.

Tucker's heart broke. He gave her the rest of the week to get her act together. He gave her until today to come to her senses. He came here to talk to her. He wanted to give her another opportunity to apologize. However, the moment he saw Jay's lips kiss his girl, he changed his mind. Tucker was better. She didn't deserve his forgiveness. She didn't deserve his love. She didn't deserve him. She broke his heart. She was supposed to realize his love for her.

Rounds of applause and standing ovations rapidly spread through the auditorium as Voight departed from the stage, holding his award proudly. Tucker needed to talk to her. He needed to tell her the truth. When the end of the ceremony arrived, he grew more confident in his ability to confess his love to her. He didn't care about the apology she owed him. He just cared about having her in his arms, kissing her, and loving her until the death of both of them.

As the auditorium began clearing out, Erin spotted her father. Regardless of the heels on her feet, she made her way through the crowd and swallowed him into a hug the moment she approached him, "Congratulations dad! I'm so proud of you."

"Are you about to cry?"

"No," she sniffs and lies, before cracking a smile, "Mom would be proud too."

"Our boss is sergeant of the year," Dawson walked over, and pats his sergeant on the back.

Voight smiled, "Thanks Antonio."

"Congrats boss," Mouse, Atwater and Ruzek spoke in unison.

Burgess nods in agreement, "Yeah, congrats sir."

"Thank you all."

Voight was on cloud nine. He didn't know how good it felt to be recognized for doing what he loved. It was an adrenaline standing on that stage, in front of hundreds of cops and people just like him. It was rejuvenating. It was empowering.

"You deserve it," Olinsky nudges Voight's shoulder, "Congrats Hank." Voight grins.

"Yeah boss," Jay extends his hand, and earns a handshake from his superior, "I couldn't have asked for a greater role model."

Voight laughs, "You don't have to sweet talk me Halstead. I already approve of you and Erin's relationship."

Tucker watches the group fall into laughs. He desperately wanted that for himself. Erin was supposed to give him that. This can't be over. It's not over. He has to talk to her. As if by fate, he sees the unit simultaneously reach for their phones. Hank reads the message along the screen and disappointedly looks up at his daughter, "Kid, we're going to have to postpone dinner. We got a lead on a case." Tucker leaves. He has to meet her at her place. It's the only location where they can be alone. He has to set up. He'll get his apology. He'll get her to love him.

Erin hugs her dad, "Okay, call me and congratulations again." He pecks her cheek.

"Are you okay to get home?"

She rolls her eyes, "Yes. I got here perfectly fine, didn't I?"

"Stop growing up so fast," he gives her cheek a pinch before he begins walking off.

She's left standing in the middle of an emptying auditorium. Her dad is leaving, and so is everyone else she knows. There's no reason for her to stay here. The officers left remaining aren't from her father's district. She has never seen them before a day in her life. After her father and his team disappear, she grabs her clutch and pea-coat, and begins walking towards the exit. An officer holds the door open for her, and she thanks him kindly. It was a beautiful night. It felt good outside. From the moment Erin woke up, she knew it was going to be a good day. Since Tuesday, she hasn't had any contact with Tucker. She could breathe. It felt like it was over. She solved it all on her own.

Tucker picked the lock and pushed her front door open. A loud alarm blared and he quickly turned to type in the code. He pressed the red button following the input of the alarm code. Silence followed; nice and peaceful silence. He hits the lights. Tucker keeps her door wide open, and lifts the large box he carried up four flights of stairs. A few holes were poked through the top in order to allow the snakes to breathe. The snakes were non-venomous. It was hard to come across venomous snakes to be sold. However, the snakes he bought were agitated. They were snippy. The bumpy car ride over and the way he shook the box during his climb up the four flights had the snakes disturbed and vehement. He closes and locks the door behind him.

The 27 year old is dressed in a clown suit. From head to toe, he's covered in the costume, with his face makeup smeared, his bright suit filthy and the red wig on top of his head tangled and snarled. Tucker squeezed the red nose covering his own as he tipped the box of snakes over. The snakes are too close to the door. Tucker needs for her to walk inside. If she opens the door and sees them, she'll never come in. He dumped them too early. He panics for a split second and thinks quickly on his feet. Tucker uses his clown shoe to push the snakes' further inside. They're growing even more agitated and snippy. One snaps at him. One bites at his ankle. He lets out a loud groan of pain before turning off the lights.

His adrenaline is pumping right now. A nonpoisonous snake bite will not dampen his plan. Her curtains were closed, and Tucker knew that behind those curtains in her living room was her balcony. He crept through her apartment, hoping to himself that he didn't step on a snake. He couldn't see. After unlocking the balcony door and stepping through, he closed it. Now all he had to do was patiently wait for her to return home.

Erin's exhausted. She had a long day. The young woman woke up early, treated her father to breakfast, spent some downtime at the precinct, and then returned home to get ready for the ceremony. She didn't think sitting on her tail all day would wear her out. It did though. Lindsay grabs her keys, and unlocks her door. When she steps inside, she doesn't hear anything.

"I forgot to turn my alarm on again," she rubs her temples. If her dad had found out, she would be in a lot of trouble. She's not used to turning it on every time she leaves.

It's too dark to see anything. She sets her purse down on the end table beside the door. It's under the burglar alarm. Erin hits the lights and walks further into her apartment. Her breath stops immediately. She hears a hissing noise. Fearfully, she looks down. She freezes. The strands of hair at the back of her neck stand up. There are two snakes at her feet, slithering around beneath her. She wants to scream, but her mouth is dry and the fear is too strong. _Back up_. She tells herself mentally. _Back away from the snakes, Erin, just back away._ She follows her own directions, but her foot steps on the tail of one. It sends her falling back.

Erin finally screams. There's a snake on her and its teeth bite into her shoulder. She screams and crawls back, hoping it would fall off. Lindsay doesn't know what to do. She's crying. There's no one here. There are freaking snakes in her apartment and she doesn't know what to do. She's frozen in fear. Her thoughts are completely still. Her reasoning and problem-solving abilities are nonexistent at the moment. Erin can't think straight. She kicks forward, struggling to keep the snakes away as they continue to slither towards her. One manages to sink its teeth into her calf. She screams even louder. No one is going to hear her. No one is going to help. Erin wanted to protect herself and now was her chance.

Lindsay kicks the snakes away. She yanks the tail of the snake that's teeth are pressed into the skin of her calf. It hurts but she pulls and throws it across the room. The one over her shoulder falls as she stands up. Her eyes scan the living room. There are at least five, definitely more. She sees her clutch and phone near the door, resting on the table beneath the alarm. As the snakes slither closer, she's backing away. Her calf is bleeding. Her shoulder is bleeding even more. She's not a doctor. She doesn't know which wound to tend to first. Erin needs to get away. It's like they have a thirst for blood or something. Her left hand reaches over her right shoulder as she tries to stop the blood from running down her arm. It's no use. The blood is seeping through her fingers. There are more snakes at her front door. She can't touch them. She barely wants to move. It's a debilitating fear. She's crying.

As she continues to back up, the snakes continue to slither closer. Her heart drops figuratively. She can't back up anymore. Her balcony door is behind her. It's restricting her from moving further away. Erin's voice hitches in her throat. She's petrified. Tears continue to slide down her face. Her mascara is running. Her lipstick is smudged. She can't leave. Her hands are shaking as they feel around the wall, and it clicks. Erin takes a chance. Even though it kills her, she turns her back to the snakes. She has no idea what they're doing. All she can think about is their slithering and slimy bodies sliding against the carpet, hissing at her.

Erin is forced to think quickly. She can go out on the balcony and flag someone down. Maybe she can call for her neighbor or shout for Eric's attention if he's walking the premises. It was a nice day. She didn't mind standing on her balcony for as long as it takes. She can't be near the snakes. She hates thinking about them. She shudders, pulls the curtains open and then screams at the top of her lungs. A man, in a clown costume, stood outside her balcony door. He reached for the handle and slid the door open. Erin had completely forgotten about the snakes. She was scared of them, but because of her past with clowns, she was even more terrified of him. The sight of the clown sends her back to her youth. She wanted her dad. If he wanted to move in, she would let him. She'll move out. She doesn't care about being an adult. If he wanted her to move in with him, she will. She can't be here anymore.

Lindsay ignores the snakes and attempts to make a run for the front door. Her heels were still on her feet, but she was a professional when it came to walking and running in high heels. However, the clown shoes made him faster. He catches her, picks her up by the waist and throws her to the ground, "I won't hurt you." She immediately recognizes his voice, but the sight of him freezes her in fear. She hears Tucker, but she sees a clown. Erin sobs. She's scared. She's that six year old little girl all over again.

The snakes are slithering around them. They're no longer as snippy as they once were. He bends over and picks her up. Her body is as solid as a rock. She sees her six year old self –in overalls and pigtails- standing in an alley. Erin is frozen in fear. She wants to fight back. Her brain is yelling at her to do something, but her body isn't listening. How can a phobia control someone's life like this? Tucker sits her down on the couch, "I won't hurt you baby." He pulls her to her feet, "I promise I won't hurt you. I will never hurt you. I love you too much."

Lindsay can't bring herself to say anything. Just an hour ago she was thinking this was a good day, a great week. She thought it was all over. She's sniffing. She's trying to hold in the tears as her body stands tall, straight and stiff. Tucker is standing directly beside her, "Are you okay?" She doesn't say anything. She can't bring herself to speak. A part of her actually forgets how to talk. She's not thinking about anything, but the clown beside her and the snakes slithering around her. Tucker chuckles, and leans his head in front of her face, "Boo!" It clicks. He's forcing her to relieve one of her most traumatic moments.

Her lips tremble as she takes in the smeared makeup on his face. He wasn't the exact lookalike of the clown she saw years ago, but he was definitely close. Tucker backs away. He knows she won't move. He knows she can't. His head falls back as he maniacally laughs, bouncing around her living room in his attempt to terrify her, "Erin Lindsay Voight," he sings out her full name, "Erin Lindsay Voight," He stops. It's completely out of the blue. It's like the goofy side of him just turns off. Tucker faces her and stares. Just stares. He did nothing else, but just stood there, a distance that teased her. He was far enough away to not touch her, but he was close enough to where if she tried to make a run for the door, he would be able to block it. Erin shuts out the street traffic noise from outside the window. Her pulse, she could feel beating unsteadily, she hears him, he isn't speaking, but he's breathing. His breaths are raggedly spewing out of his mouth at irregular gasping intervals.

Erin found herself staring back at him. The eye contact was too strong. She feared that if she broke it, he would attack. He would kill her. He was unpredictable. Every fiber of Tucker's being was impulsive. The sight of his clown costume skewed her ability to think rationally and develop a plan, but she knew, she had to do whatever it takes to get away from him. A menacing smile stretched across his painted face as he stepped forward. Eye contact remained. Her hands were shaking against her sides in a quivering rhythm. The color was drained from her face. Tucker noticed it all. He squeezed his nose and began chuckling, "I won't hurt you Erin." He attempted to lighten the mood, "I promise I'll always be here to save you. I'll save you even when you act badly. I keep my word." He rushes up to her side and begins patting her head, "I saved you from that bike. I saved you after you ate walnut sauce-"

She immediately breaks out of her frozen state. Eye contact lost the second he approached her. Erin looks at him with wide eyes, "Walnut sauce?" She speaks for the first time.

"Yeah, it's a tree nut baby," he doesn't recognize his mistake, "You're allergic to them."

Erin's hands cover her face and her shoulders slump forward. She's so stupid. How did she allow this to happen? She should have been smarter. She should have said something. All her life people would try to protect her. She just wanted to protect herself for once. Tucker is a creep, Jay saw it, her dad basically picked up on it…and so did everyone else, but her. Erin is sobbing loudly. No matter how hard she tries, she can't suppress the sound. Tucker's clownish giggles erupt over them. He blocks her cries out. He knows what he's doing. He knew how scared and completely terrified the thought of clowns made her.

A snake slithers closer and Erin's stiffens her body. The two things she's scared of the most had her surrounded. Her body was as solid as a rock. Her hands shook against her sides as blood trailed off her arm and dripped onto the carpet. Tucker kicks the snake away when it snaps at him. He doesn't seem phased by anything. Something is terribly wrong with him…and Erin needed to get away. If she wanted to make it out of this, she needed to get herself together. She's not six anymore. She should be able to get herself out of this.

The 24 year old's breathing is hard. Tucker can hear it. He moves to stand in front of her, his hands on her shoulders. He doesn't care about the blood staining his clown gloves. Silent tears are falling down her face and he pouts, "What's wrong my beauty?" She doesn't speak. He uses his clown gloved hands to cup her face, "Talk to me Erin. It's what boyfriends are here for." She's completely still and quiet, just like that day years ago when she came across that clown. Tucker wipes away her tear, "I'm only here to get my apology baby." He pulls her in close, "I didn't expect you to cry. Did someone upset you?" She's sniffling, "I do owe you an apology." She gives no sign of listening but he continues, "I scared you, unintentionally, and I want to apologize to you for that." He pokes his head in her face, "Last week, you thought someone broke in…no one broke in honey, that was just me. It was just a big misunderstanding. I came to sleep over. I didn't mean to scare you."

Tucker has her in a hug. He's rubbing his hands along her back. Her body remains solid. He pulls out of the hug and takes a look at her face, "Are you crying because you know you hurt me?" He pinches on her cheek. When he looks into her eyes, he sees nothing. There's a blank mask there. It's like Erin has completely registered out. Tucker tugs on her cheek again, "Erin, you can talk to me. I love you," he presses a kiss against her nose, "I love you with all of me." He kisses her lips, "I love you more than I love myself." His words whisper against her lips, but she hears them. She hears everything he's saying, but she can't move. She's paralyzed in fear. She understands the people in horror movies now. When they're literally stuck in place as a monster or a threat grows near. You're scared to the point that your body is literally paralyzed in place. There's nothing anyone can do to make you move.

"You have to dump Jay. He's not boyfriend material." He holds his arms around her waist, "I am. I'm your boyfriend…and I don't want you having more than one. He has to go. You have to break up with him." Tucker can't get enough of her scent, of the touch of her hair and of her smooth skin. He could stay like this forever.

She doesn't move, and he decides to continue, "Break up with him Erin…It's not a choice. I don't share…and I don't come second to anyone. Do you understand?" She doesn't say anything. He presses his thumb beneath her chin and uses his hand to force her to nod, "That's a good girl. Can you say something? You know I love hearing your voice. Tell me you love me. Tell me you'll never leave me. Tell me I won't have to hurt you to make you love me. Convince me."

"No," she finally finds her voice. It's not as strong as she thought it would be. It's weak. It's fragile. It breaks, but she doesn't care, she continues, "Scaring me won't make me love or like you. Threatening me won't do it. There's nothing you can do to make me apologize, say I love you or anything. I will never be in your life." Her words are spoken, but her body remains stiff.

"You know what Erin," Tucker steps back, completely irritated with her behavior, "I have sacrificed so much to be with you. You think I'm a monster, but I'm not. You're the monster, not me!" Her heart is palpitating as she listens to his voice grow louder. Where is Eric? He should be making his usual rounds. He should be hearing this. He should be here!

Erin feels secluded from the world. The man hired to protect the apartment and the residents who lived here failed to perform his job…twice. Her father was right. He's incompetent. He doesn't deserve this job, and if Tucker kills her tonight, she hopes her father does everything in power to make him lose it. Tucker moves away from her once again. His body angled towards the front door. The snakes are slithering in front of the balcony door. She doesn't know what to do. Her two exits are blocked off by the two things that scare her the most. Erin walks, and Tucker watches her, she's walking fast…as fast as she can into her bedroom.

"Erin, where are you going?" He sounds like he's whining. Lindsay is aware of her house phone. The hook is in the living room, but the phone wasn't on it. Her dad had requested she have a landline phone just in case she needed to call the police and she couldn't tell dispatch her location. The phone wasn't on the hook. The last place she remembered seeing it was on her nightstand. She starts running the moment she hears Tucker begin to walk away from the door, "What are you trying to do?" He's laughing. He finds the entire situation funny. And when she slams and locks her bedroom door, a Cheshire grin forms along his face, "Are you trying to play a game?" He asks against her bedroom door. He twists the knob and finds it locked, "I'll count to ten and then I'm coming to look for you. One…two…"

She hears him counting. She knows that by ten, he'll knock down her door. Time is literally of the essence, and she swipes the house phone off the nightstand and begins army crawling underneath her bed. Erin gets distracted. There is a pair of sneakers. They don't belong to Jay and she knows they definitely don't belong to her. Her bedroom door is kicked in.

"Ready or not," she presses down upon the house phone, but she doesn't hear a dial, "here I come." He must have pulled the hook out of the wall. Erin could see his clown patterned shoes lightly walk around her bedroom. He was trying to be quiet and listen out for her. This could possibly be life or death right now. Nervous sweat began to appear on her forehead as she mentally told herself to stay still. Cold tears fell down her cheeks as she sees his feet stop, "Boo!" He pops his head low to face her. A small yelp of protest is heard as he grabs her wrists and pulls her from beneath the bed, "I found you," he's giggling as his clown gloved fingers begin tickling against her stiff body.

He shoves her angrily to the ground. It's the most movement her body did since she arrived. He's bent over her, his fingers attacking her body tickling every exposed piece of skin; her arms, her neck, her legs, everywhere. Erin finds herself screaming as her nails dig into his face. She's squirming, struggling beneath his bent over position. He's growing furious, "Stop! Valerie stop!" He's swatting her away. He no longer sees Erin. For a split second, she disappears. Valerie is in her place. His hand clenches into a fist and he feels forced to strike her, "You hurt me Valerie! You broke my heart," he hits her. She screams.

"I'm not Valerie," she's squirming beneath him, noticing the look in Tucker's eyes disappear. The image of Valerie is gone. Erin's back and Tucker feels absolutely horrible, "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" He's apologizing profusely.

"Get away from me!" She's trembling on her back.

Tucker bends over, grasps her face and presses his lips against hers. Erin feels his mouth attempt to pry hers open, but she rejects it. She bites down hard upon his lip and he stumbles back with a scream. She rolls over onto her hands and knees. Erin's makeup begins burning her eyes. She needs to get out of here. Ignoring the pain shooting through her leg and shoulder, she begins crawling away. She makes it to the hallway, but the moment his hand clasps around her ankle, he pulls her back. The snakes appeared out of nowhere. He's dragging her as the snakes nip at her fingers, "Please," she's crying out. She never begged, but now she had to put her pride aside and do what was needed, "leave me alone!" Erin kicks back. Her heeled shoe makes contact with his private area, he releases her ankle, but he doesn't flinch. Tucker is perfectly fine and the thought scares her.

Lindsay grabs a snake and throws it in the direction of his face. She jumps up. It's enough of a distraction for her to run. She blocks out the sight of his costume and the snakes as she runs to the door. She hears him laughing, "You did this to me Erin! You drive me out of my mind! The love I have for you makes me do crazy things!" He's laughing maniacally. Grabbing her clutch and her keys, she pulls the front door open and leaves. She doesn't close it. She can't. It'll take too much time. The young woman is limping to her car. Her shoulder and calf remain bloody; traces of blood remain dripping down her arm and leg. She's still crying. She can't stop. She keeps picturing the snakes, his face, his costume, the touch of his lips on hers, and his words. Her hair is unkempt. It's no longer laid down straight. It's frizzy and all over the place from the minor struggle. Lindsay starts her car and immediately starts driving. She doesn't have time to buckle her seatbelt or check road signs or anything. She needed to get to her dad's job.

When a light turns red, she's forced to stop her car. Erin grabs her clutch and begins searching through it for her cell phone. She finds it, but just like every great horror movie, it's dead. It's like her life has turned into one big scary movie that's designed to see her breakdown and die by the end. Once the light turns green, she speeds through. Horns of protest are sounded against her car as she's forced to cut cars off in order to make her exit. Her fingers drum the steering wheel and she takes a quick look over her shoulder. Her calf wound stopped bleeding, but her shoulder wound remained. She'll definitely need stitches for it.

Platt is behind her desk, staring at the clock. She gets off in a few hours and would love if time would fly by. It was a slow day. Surprisingly, nothing much happened today. She's clicking her pen tirelessly when the entrance door flies open. Platt notices her. She notices Voight's daughter, and she immediately presses the buzzer, "Erin," the young woman is stumbling on her feet as Platt races over to her, "what happened to you?"

An officer pulls the gate open and holds it wide for Platt to help the 24 year old through. Erin is trying to keep weight off her right leg. Her wound was no longer bleeding, but it hurt when pressured was applied to anywhere on the leg. Lindsay pulls herself free of Platt's hold. She made it this far. She could make it the rest. With her hand clenched around the railing, she begins slowly yet determinedly climbing up the stairs. Platt is right behind her just in case she loses balance or passes out or anything. Platt's ready. As Erin and Platt approach the top of the stairs, they hear laughter; Dawson's being the loudest.

"Hey, everyone," Platt calls out.

Voight is sitting on the corner of Olinsky's desk, "…not now."

The team is staring at the whiteboard, struggling to make a connection to the lead they just received. Dawson had cracked a joke which loosened the tension in the room that serious cases usually brought. Each body faced the whiteboard. Each detective thinking long and hard about what exactly they're missing.

"Hey," Platt calls out even louder.

Voight repeats, "Not now!"

"Dad-" Her voice cracks. It's feeble. It's delicate. It's entirely sad.

Each head turned at the sound of her voice. Each detective sees her crying. They each notice the state she's arrived in. She's disheveled, frightened and frazzled.

Jay whispers, rising from his desk, "Erin-"

"What happened?" Voight beats him to the question. He's already at her side. He's not in shock. He's not sad. He's pissed more than anything…not at her, but at whoever was responsible for this. They have messed with the wrong girl. And when Voight's arm supportively wraps around her waist to hold her balance, he helps her to a chair. Jay wheels his seat over.

"Mouse call Dr. Halstead," Voight orders, stooping low in front of his daughter. The other detectives are surrounding her. She's crying. Burgess is holding her hand. Jay's hand is on her thigh, squeezing it comfortingly. Voight wants to comfort her, but he needs to know what's going on. He looks at her leg and shoulder wound before meeting her eyes, "Kid, talk to me. What happened to you?"

"Daddy," her voice breaks as she realizes she's going to have to tell them everything, "I screwed up."

"What?" He pulls her into his arms.

She's crying, "I messed up."

"What happened?" Jay repeats Voight's earlier question.

"It's Tucker," she whispers, looking around at each of their surprised faces, "I think he wants to kill me."


	13. Stalker

Everyone was watching her. She sat in the middle of the Intelligence Unit; her boyfriend crouched down in front of her, his hands resting on her knees. She's trembling. She's constantly looking over her shoulder, expecting Tucker to barge in –dressed head to toe in a clown costume- wielding an ax and a crazed face. Mouse brings her over a paper cup of water, "Thanks," she whispers, her shaky hand taking a hold of the cup. It was the same moment the team noticed the small marks on her fingers. They're specked with blood.

"Mouse," Voight waves over the computer tech, "I need you to call Dr. Halstead. Get him here as soon as possible. Tell him it's an emergency."

Mouse gives Erin a brief sympathetic look, "…of course boss."

Mouse returns to his desk, still within earshot of his team surrounding and whispering assurances to the 24 year old. Water spills, her hand feels incapable of keeping still. She's too nervous. She's too on edge. She brings the cup towards her lips and sips the liquid. Jay's positioned on his knees in front of her, his hands on her legs, trying to keep her focus, "Talk to us."

"There are snakes in my apartment." She hands the cup to Atwater. He takes a hold of it and sets it down on the desk behind him.

Jay's eyebrows crease, "What?"

"There are snakes in my apartment."

"What are they doing there?" Kim decides to ask the following question.

Erin's eyes are glossed over, "…ask Tucker."

The group notices the tremble of her bottom lip. Even though she's physically surrounded by detectives, she can't mentally exit herself from the events that occurred moments ago. Erin keeps looking over her shoulder. Tucker's crazy. She wouldn't be surprised if he followed her here. At this point, Erin wouldn't be surprised about anything he does from this moment on.

"Erin, what's going on?" Voight wants to be compassionate. He wants to comfort her and sympathize with her, but he needed answers. Voight wanted every detail, no matter how big or how small. He couldn't protect her if he didn't know everything.

"He was dressed as a clown."

Voight repeats her, "Tucker was dressed as a clown." He's prying for more.

"He used my fears against me." It's like she's no longer speaking to any of them. She's talking more to herself than them. She's trying to grasp her head around it all.

"Wait. Wait." Hank turns the desk chair to face him, "Start from the beginning."

"The beginning doesn't start today, the beginning starts last month." For a brief second she gives her father eye contact. Her orbs drift from him, to Halstead, to Burgess, to Atwater before finally resting on Roman. Each person met or had heard about Tucker. Each person had pried for information about what was wrong with her. Each person was skeptical about Erin's odd behavior, and now each person was finally going to get answers for it.

Erin thinks back to the day she met Tucker. There were so many red flags that she didn't see. Everything he did…every single thing was focused around her. Erin didn't realize it until this moment. Her fears becoming a reality could have been avoided. If she had just put her pride aside, along with her need to be the strong independent and courageous woman her mother was, none of it would have happened. Instead, she became the focus of his thoughts, the subject of his dreams, and the purpose for his day.

The thought felt lodged into her chest and she breathed out dramatically, "I've been keeping secrets from you all…about Tucker." She notices the disappointed look flashing across her father's face. He didn't interrupt though. He wanted to know what happened. Erin brushed a strand of hair behind her ear, "Tucker pulled me from being hit by a bike…it's how we met," she informs the detectives who weren't aware of him, "I felt sorry for him. He was new to the city and he didn't have any friends, so when he made plans with me the first week, I couldn't turn him down." Erin was never a nail biter, but this current moment, she craved the comfort of nibbling against her nails. Her fingers were injured and the action would bother them, "The first week he was just really clingy. He would pry into my personal life, offer me advice on my relationship, and then make plans to hang out with me every day of the week. He added me on all social media accounts. He would show up anywhere I went. He constantly called, left me voicemails, texts and emails," she gives Roman a look to which he understands. It was Tucker who called her that day in the parking garage. Erin turns back to her dad, "Someone was in my house that night. He told me dad. I wasn't making things up. His shoes are underneath my bed. It was him. He broke in!"

Despite Voight wanting to hear the rest of what she had to say, he couldn't help but to pull her into a hug. He pressed a kiss to her cheek, "I'm sorry kid. I should have believed you." She simply shrugged. She couldn't blame him.

"What else?" It was Halstead who pried for more.

Even though it's Halstead's question, Erin looks at Burgess as she answered, "He would follow me…everywhere." She nods as recognition flashes across Kim's face.

"Zumba class and the café," it is all starting to click in Kim's head.

Erin nods, "Yeah, and the day I left the mall in a hurry. He was there too."

"You should have-"

She cuts Kim off, "He would show up at my apartment unannounced. He would leave me presents…he…he wouldn't leave me alone."

"Erin-"

"He's the one…" she hesitates briefly, "He uh…he put walnut sauce on my food."

Hank pulls away from her, "He did what?"

"He told me that he put walnut sauce on my food. He wanted to save me. That's what he said."

Voight waves for Atwater to approach him, "I want you to get me a warrant for Tucker's arrest. Do what you have to do. Take Roman with you and do not disappoint me. Do not screw this up."

"His name is Tucker Rhodes," Erin called out at the departing officers.

Lindsay heard movement. Someone was coming up the stairs. Her body stiffened as she turned to face the stairway. Jay's hand is on her thigh and she sets her hand over his, appreciating his comfort. At the sight of Dr. Halstead and Dr. Manning she relaxes. Erin gives them a gentle grin. She honestly wanted to end the conversation. She didn't want everyone to know what happened. Dr. Manning set her medical bag down, "Let's see, Mouse said you have a snake bite."

"You don't have to speak to me like I'm a child. I'm an adult. You can talk to me like one," the irritation in Erin's voice silences the doctor, "I was bitten by a snake on my shoulder and leg." She points at each injury, "my hands too."

"I'm sorry," Dr. Manning apologized to the younger woman as she made her way to Erin's calf.

Dr. Halstead took a look at her shoulder, "I'm going to clean this wound up and give you stitches. We can head down to the hospital and-"

"I'm not going anywhere."

Olinsky looks between Will and Erin, "Is there a chance you can do it here? We're still talking to her. We don't want her out of our sight for right now."

"...of course." He sets his bag down, "The snakes must have not been venomous. You're still breathing and the bite doesn't look infected. I don't have any pain meds here, but I have the stuff I need to clean your wound and stitch it back up. Do you think-"

"Go ahead." Erin interrupts. She wants it to be over. She wants to feel better. She wants to put all of this behind her. If she's in any pain, she'll just squeeze Jay's hand until it passes.

Erin desperately wanted to drop the subject, at least for now, but her father couldn't. He didn't understand his daughter's thinking. He didn't get it. This had been going on for a month and he's just now hearing about it. "Why didn't you tell us? Why didn't you tell me?" It's the volume of Voight's voice that shakes her. She's sitting at the edge of the seat. She's nervous and his booming voice scares her.

"I thought I solved the problem," she admitted, feeling the comforting hand of Burgess on her uninjured shoulder, "I thought it was over. I thought I made myself clear to him."

Jay pushes, "But…"

"But then I came home today," she feels Will clean the bite on her shoulder as Natalie tends to her calf, "I came home after the ceremony and there were snakes everywhere and he was hiding on my balcony," the doctors listen in but remain quiet as they work on her injuries, "Tucker was dressed as a clown. He came inside and he just…he just attacked me. I screamed but no one heard me. He told me about the walnut sauce. He told me about breaking into my apartment."

"Why did he break in?" Jay questioned watching as Natalie bandaged up her calf wound.

"…because he wanted to sleep over."

"This guy is nuts," Dawson spoke for the first time since Erin arrived. He'd been at his desk, listening intently, while staying in contact with Atwater and Roman via text.

Will has prepped the needle, "I'm about to start stitching you up."

"Erin," Natalie gently calls her name, "I'm going to put some small Band-Aids on your fingers…only on the ones that are still bleeding a little." Lindsay doesn't protest. She extends her hands to the doctor, watches her as she rubs some type of ointment on them, before bandaging them up, "It'll feel a little warm."

"What else did he do?" Voight steers the conversation back on track. He might not like everything he's going to hear, but he needed to know. Hank had to know everything this sick bastard did to his daughter.

She flinches as Will inserts the needle, "He would just torment me. He kept professing his love for me," she avoids Jay's eyes when she speaks, "He wanted me to break up with Jay. He wanted me for himself. He made me relive what happened to me at the funhouse," her last words saddened her father. Voight had felt guilty for that experience. He always blamed himself. If he had been watching her better, she never would have wandered off. Erin flinches again, "He pretended to be the clown in the alley. He accidentally let it slip about the walnut sauce, but I don't even think he noticed. I tried to call the police on the house phone but he pulled the phone's hook plug out of the wall. I hid and he thought I wanted to play hide and seek."

"Damn," Ruzek finally speaks up. His head is shaking and he shivers in horror as he pictures it.

Erin sees Will cut the stitches, "He found me and he started tickling me," Natalie briefly stops bandaging Lindsay's hands to confusedly look up at her, "Tucker started calling me Valerie…and he hit me and then started to apologize," she's growing panicked as the memory plays through her head, "He started kissing me and dragging me, but I fought back."

Burgess rubs her back, "…that's great."

"I wouldn't have had to if I had just told you guys."

Hank and Jay want to assure her. They want to tell her that she did what she thought was best, but they both couldn't. Hank's disappointed. Jay's angry. Erin should have told them sooner.

"Mouse," Hank keeps his eyes focused on his daughter, "I need you to send a unit to Erin's apartment. I want them to close off the crime scene. If Tucker was smart, he already left her apartment and is on the next flight out of the country," he sets his hand on top of her head, "but I have a feeling he isn't. Otherwise, he wouldn't have messed with my daughter."

"I'm all done," Will lies the bandage down over her shoulder, "I'll cut the stitches in a week."

She nods, "Thank you."

"I'm finished too," Natalie sets the box of Band-Aids back into her medical bag.

"When you finish sending in the units, I want you to find Tucker Rhodes. I want him here…in the cage…NOW." Voight orders, eyes still remaining on his frazzled daughter. Mouse begins multitasking, a phone to his ear as he types along the computer in search of their culprit. Hank briefly thanks the two doctors and nods for Dawson to walk them out. He's still beside Erin. He's watching her examine the small bandages wrapped around her individual fingers, "You shouldn't have waited so late to tell me."

"I know," she's looking down at the ground, "I'm sorry."

Voight pulls the chair in closer, "Erin, he could have taken you, killed you, or did who knows what and I would have had no idea until it was too late. You should have come to me the moment he began stalking you."

"Stalking me…"

"Yes," Voight is shouting. His team slowly steps back, allowing the father-daughter conversation to continue, "Stalking you. Everything you told me he has done points to that. He's a stalker Erin…and you were his victim." Hank releases a grunt as his hand knocks a desk lamp off the nearest table, "Damn it Erin! How could you keep this from me? Why didn't you let me know?"

"I don't know!" She cries out.

"You don't know." He struggles to calm his angered breaths, "That isn't an answer Erin."

Voight tried to remain composed, but the sight of her, the hurt look in her expression, infuriated him. Tucker did this. He did this to his daughter. Hank would never wish this upon someone else, but of all the people, Tucker went after his daughter. Voight desperately wanted to comfort her, assure her that everything was going to be alright, but he couldn't. He didn't lack the ability to protect his daughter. He didn't lack the compassion to sympathize with her. His extreme worry for her was mixed with anger that he desperately wanted to release on Tucker.

"I was in denial. I thought…I thought I could handle this on my own."

He's leaning against the corner of a desk, "You saw how that worked out for you."

"Dad-"

"I'm sorry. I'm just…worried. This guy is mentally unstable. I wish you would have told me before he did all of this, before he hurt you! I could have prevented this."

Erin adjusted her body in the chair, "Dad, you have other things to worry about." Her arms curled securely around herself as a way to soothe her shaken body.

"Other things to worry about," Voight incredulously repeated her, "Screw those other things!"

"You're the sergeant of this unit."

"I'm your dad first."

"Your job is important."

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"Your caseload is full."

"So what? I would have made room."

"You would have made this your top priority."

"And what's wrong with that?"

"I don't know. I don't know what I'm saying!" Erin looks around at his team. She's no longer just talking to her dad; she's talking to his unit; her friends and family, "I thought I could handle this! I thought I could play adult and keep my life on track! I thought maybe, just maybe, I could do something without my dad's help!" She uses Burgess offered hand to stand up, "As it turns out, I can't. I can't pick friends right. I can't afford my own place without my dad's help. I can't protect myself right. I can't adult right. I can't do anything right! I'm sorry that I didn't tell you. I'm sorry! I can't go back and change anything, but if I could, I would!" Erin releases Kim's hand and begins walking towards the breakroom. She needed a cup of coffee.

Erin walked inside and closed the door behind her. She embraced the silence in the room. Her bandaged fingers rubbed against the soreness of her cheek. He struck her there after confusing her with someone named Valerie. Erin limped forward. She could hear them outside talking about her. Her dad was demanding updates from Mouse and Dawson on Atwater, Roman and the officers who were dispatched to Erin's apartment. Lindsay heard the door open moments later, and she froze. She quickly turned on her heel and gasped as she connected with a firm body. Jay caught her as she plunged into him, instantly picking up on the fear in her expression.

"Easy there," Halstead steadied her.

"Sorry," she backs away from him, "I'm a little on edge." She eyes the closed breakroom door assuring herself that no one was coming in.

"You should have told me." His words pull in her attention.

"I know…"

"If you know, then why didn't you?"

"…because I couldn't trust you!"

If Jay said her words didn't sting, he would be lying. He silently watched her approach the coffee machine, grab her father's mug from the cabinet and pour a cup for herself.

"Erin-" He approached her gently.

"I don't want to talk about this…not now, not with you."

He drops it. He moves the conversation along. He watched her pour cream into her mug, "You're going to stay with me tonight."

"Is my dad that mad at me?"

"No," he watches her take a seat, "of course not. He was never mad at you. He was just-"

"I don't need you translating his emotions for me."

"Erin-"

"I had a really long night," he nods, agreeing with her statement, "I can't do this right now. I don't have the energy. I'm completely drained Jay," she sips her mug of coffee, "And Tucker's still out there…he's lost his mind and there's no telling what he's planning to do next."

Jay slides a chair up to her, "He won't get the chance," his hand is gently squeezing her thigh, "You'll be moving in with me…and he'll never get the opportunity."

She sits back, her hands clasped around the mug securely, "So, why did my dad dump me on your doorstep? Did you pick the short end of the stick?"

"Mouse is doing an extensive search to find Tucker. Voight wants to be here. Your dad wants to be the one to question him. He wants to be the first one to see him when he's locked in the cage. We're going to find him Erin. I can promise you that. I offered my place and your dad agreed. He needed to be here…and he didn't want you to be alone at his house."

Jay's hand caresses against the side of her face. She snuggles into his soft hold and relaxes for the first time that night. Erin's eyes are closed, and she feels the piercing stare of Jay's eyes, "You're staring."

"I can't help it." He grins as she reopens her eyes, "You know I love you right?"

"I love you too."

There's a knock on the breakroom door, and seconds later it cracks open enough for Ruzek to poke his head in, "Your dad wants to see you."

Erin leaves the mug on the table as Jay helps her up, "I wonder what this is about." The couple walks out of the breakroom, his hand never leaving hers, "Yes dad?"

"Do you need to get anything from your apartment? I don't know how long you'll be staying with Jay," Hank's suit jacket is on, his keys are in his hand, and the team looks prepared to leave at any moment.

"The snakes are still there," she admits, he voice quivering at the thought.

"I called animal control after I sent officers to the scene," Mouse informed, not once pulling his eyes away from the screen as he continues his search for Tucker's whereabouts.

Erin responds with a silent nod, one directed at Mouse as a thank you and the other directed at her father to answer his question. Unfortunately, she did need to go home. She needed clothes and bathroom essentials. Voight waves his daughter over, "You'll ride with me." She looks back at Jay, and waves him to follow. She wants him to ride with them too.

"Dawson, Ruzek, Olinsky and Burgess will follow," Voight leads the team and his daughter down the stairs, "When we get to Erin's place, Dawson and Ruzek you find that damn security guard and you question the hell out of him and when you're both done, I want you to get statements from the neighbors in that building. Erin's screaming for her life and no one hears her. Something doesn't sit right with me about that." As they departed the unit, Platt looked up with worry in her eyes. Lindsay gave the sergeant an assuring nod of the head as her dad led her out of the building.

"I can open my door," Erin stops her boyfriend from pulling the passenger door opened for her.

Jay nods while silently hopping into the backseat of Voight's truck.

During the ride, Erin stares out of the window. Her eyes refuse to blink. She wanted to go in the apartment, grab what was needed and then leave. The officers cleared the scene and she found little comfort in that. Tucker wasn't at her place, but that meant he could be anywhere. She uses the silence of the car ride to reflect on his words. He kept apologizing. He kept saying he wanted to save her. He wanted to protect her. His method of doing that was through using her two biggest fears against her. If this was his idea of a sick joke, he'd gone to a lot of effort to scare her. Erin feels Jay's hand rub her good shoulder; "Put your seatbelt on." Voight smiles at his daughter. He chuckles for the first time since she arrived.

"Are both of you going to walk in with me?"

"Of course," Hank nods, continuously checking to ensure the team was behind them.

She looks out the window and sighs, "Good."

Erin had clearly been shaken. It pained Jay to see her so fragile. She was always this tough as nails person who couldn't be broken. Tucker had broken her…and Jay would make him pay for that. During the car ride, Jay watched her from the back seat. The glow of the streetlights lit her face every few seconds. She had tears streaming down her cheeks. Her teeth were biting down against her bottom lip. She was hurt, not just physically but emotionally as well. She was scared. She didn't want to do this, and he would offer to do it for her, but he knows her. Erin doesn't want anyone thinking she's weak. She'll put on a horrible mask to hide the pain before she admits to anything.

Jay unstraps his seatbelt. He doesn't care about the laws of the road right now. He sits forward and places his hand carefully upon her left, injured shoulder. He's mindful not to touch her wound. She doesn't sass him or turn him away. She places her left hand in his and the rest of the ride remains that way. Not one of them says anything to the other. His hand was just enough.

"We're here," Erin immediately pulls her hand away at her father's words. He parks in her reserved parking spot, and notices the team pull in beside them. Officers are floating around the scene, waiting for orders. Voight steps out of the car, "Is the scene blocked off?"

A rookie cop responds, "Yes sir, no one but Animal Control has been in and out."

"What's going on?" Eric, the complex's security guard urgently approaches the sergeant, "The officers won't tell me anything."

Without any control, Voight grips the uniform of the security guard, and lifts the forty something year old off his feet, "You are an incompetent idiot! That is what is going on," he drops the man back onto his feet, "You better thank whatever God you believe in because if something had happened to my daughter under your watch, you would be the next dead body that went missing. Ruzek! Dawson! Question him." Voight shoves pass the man.

"I haven't seen anything suspicious," he pleads at Voight's retreating figure.

Erin follows her dad. She doesn't give the security guard a second look as Jay leads her into the building. Burgess and Olinsky are following behind her. Each person steps up each stair with caution until they approach the fourth floor. Her apartment door is wide open. Yellow police tape blocks off access to any civilian curiously wondering what's going on.

"Burgess, stay out here with Erin," Voight unstraps his gun from its holster, "Halstead, Olinsky, let's clear the scene just in case his ass decided to come back."

Kim pulls her friend close as they watch the three detectives enter the house. Each dressed in the attire they wore to the ceremony, "Clear!" Olinsky shouted, as the team continued to walk in and separate, "Clear!" They heard Halstead's voice next, "Clear!" It was Voight, "Bring her in." With her arm around Erin's shoulder, she lifted the tape and allowed her to walk through first.

"Kim, can you grab my suitcase from the hall closet?" Erin is staring at the closed curtains. They're covering and blocking her view from the balcony. It was the one place they didn't clear. She takes a cautious step forward, watching her surroundings for Tucker or the snakes. The 24 year old pulls the curtains and they fall to the ground. She sighs in relief…he's not here. She sees Burgess approach her with a large, rolling suitcase, "Thanks." Erin scans the room. She notices the curious looks on each of their faces. She wants to see if he changed anything after she left.

"What?" Her voice is low, no one understands what she says, as she approaches the countertop bar, "This wasn't here," she lifts up a manila envelope, "It's addressed to me."

She feels the envelope pulled from her hands seconds following her picking it up. Voight tears the seal, "Pack up." Erin doesn't argue. She disappears into her bedroom, grabs as many clothes as she can hold in her arms as she carries the articles of clothing to her suitcase. She wants to ask what's in the envelope, but she knows her dad. She knows he purposefully took it from her to protect her from whatever's inside.

As Erin rushes back and forth between the bedroom and the living room, the detectives take a look inside the envelope. There are a stack of photos, stamped with dates ranging from last month to today. Jay takes a few of them from Voight's hold and flips through each picture, "The creep's been taking pictures of her!"

Lindsay looks up at as the clothes fall from her arms, "What?" She was in the hallway on her way to the living room when she heard.

"Erin-" Olinsky's voice was soothing.

"No Al," her clothes on the floor forgotten as she approached the group and ripped the photos from their hands, "he's…" she's flipping through each picture, "he's been taking pictures of me," Erin holds up a photo of her talking on the phone in the comforts of her apartment, "he's been watching me at home too." She glances at the date; it was at the end of September. Erin throws the photo to the floor as she continues to look. There were pictures of her cooking, watching television, shopping at the mall, attending classes, walking to the parking lot, working, jogging, kissing her boyfriend, and one of...Erin immediately starts tearing up the last photo. It was of her in the living room making love to her boyfriend.

"What was that?" Voight had to ask. Jay saw the picture. He knew why Erin ripped it up.

"We need to get out of here," she's paranoid. She's looking over her shoulders, ensuring herself that her windows were covered, "I shouldn't have torn the curtains down. I'll hurry."

"Erin, what was that?!" Voight repeated his earlier question. She drops the remainder of photos to the ground. His eyes scan them within seconds, but he's curious about the one she ripped.

Lindsay is on her knees, folding the clothes she dropped. Her back is to her father as he approaches her, "Erin-"

"Dad, it's embarrassing."

"I need to know to build our case against him." He gets onto his knees and helps her fold.

She pushes a strand of hair behind her ear, "It was of me and Jay."

"You and Jay…you and Jay doing," it immediately clicks. It clicks for Burgess and Olinsky too.

"Bring me her suitcase," Voight orders, instantly changing the subject, "Thanks," he says to Burgess before he starts placing the folded clothes into her suitcase, "Can you grab her toiletries please?" Kim nods and starts heading into the direction of her bathroom, "And don't forget her epi-pen Burgess! The sooner we get out of here, the better."

As they're shoving her clothes into her suitcase, she's eyeing the pictures she dropped. Olinsky is looking at them. She's on edge. The moment she calmed down, she gets worked up again. Erin takes her toiletries from Burgess and begins shoving them into the open spaces in her suitcase. Voight closed it, Erin sat on top of it, and they used teamwork to zip it shut. She looks at the photos again, "Dad," she remembers something, "Tucker, he uh," she jumps to her feet and runs into her bedroom, "he gave me a letter earlier this week," Lindsay pulls open her end table and grabs the letter, "I forgot all about it. I didn't read it. He told me to read it when I'm alone."

They're all standing in the hallway as she rips the envelope open. Voight takes a hold of the letter, and reads it aloud, "Dear my lovely Erin," Jay rolls his eyes at the beginning of the message, Voight continues, "I love you. Everything I did was because I love you. I love you Erin, but you can't see that. I have done so much. I have risked so much to be with you. I have sacrificed everything to be with you. I love you so much, and I need you to see that. You don't though. You don't see any of it because you've been too busy banging that damn detective who doesn't even give a shit about you," Erin meets Jay's eyes and she feels him take a hold of her hand, "You broke my heart," Voight continues to read the letter, "and you're going to pay for that. You're nothing but a soulless bitch who couldn't understand that true love was inseparable and forever. You'll pay…and your dad and your boyfriend will pay. You can't just take my heart and stomp all over it. You can't do that Erin! You're just like Valerie…and if you want to be like her, you'll end up like her."

"Who is Valerie?" Voight folds the letter back up and hands it to Olinsky.

Lindsay shrugs, as Jay takes a hold of the handle of her luggage, "I don't know. He called me her name today. He thought…he thought I was her. He hit me for it. He has never mentioned her before. I know nothing about her."

"Jay, take her to your place," Hank hands the detective his keys; "I'll ride back with Olinsky. Stay near the phone. I'll keep you updated."

Halstead grabs her hand, leads her out of her apartment, leaving behind the team. She was exhausted. This wasn't her job. It was her dad's. He was trained for this. He has dealt with people worse than Tucker. He had everything under control. Jay lifts her bag and carries it down the four flights of stairs, "Do you need anything on the way to my place?"

"No, I just want to get some sleep."

"Alright," he holds the door open for her, "…that is something I can help you with."

"Are you thinking about sex right now?" She's in disbelief. They had just seen an explicit photo of them taken by Tucker. She had just been attacked. She wasn't up for anything but sleep.

"What?" Jay shakes his head, setting her suitcase in the backseat, "No Erin. Gosh, no. That's the last thing on my mind right now. I was talking about cuddling with you, or giving you a massage or maybe even fixing you a nice cup of hot chocolate. I don't always think about sex."

"I know you don't," she's strapping herself in, "I just…I don't know why I even thought you were. You're not like other guys."

After buckling his seatbelt, he takes a hold of her hand, "No…I'm not."

Officers direct him out of the tight parking spot, and the moment he's on the main road, he sees Erin staring outside of the window. He would do anything right now to be able to read her thoughts. He wanted to know what she was thinking. Jay briefly stopped at a stop sign, "What are you thinking about?"

"I'm actually trying to think about anything but what happened."

"I can help out with that and no I don't mean with sex." She chuckles at his response. While strapped into her seat, Erin shifts her body away from the window in order to turn and face him.

"What do you want to talk about?"

Jay thinks to himself. His eyes are focused on the road and he can sense Erin's eyes focused on him. His thumbs are tapping against the wheel, "Remember the day I met your father…"

Erin laughs loudly, "How can I forget that? He absolutely hated you."

"He didn't hate me."

"He hated you," she restates, "You didn't meet him until a year after we started dating. He wouldn't give you the time of day. He didn't even shake your hand when you introduced yourself. You were the guy who was stealing his daughter's heart. He was afraid you were going to break it. My dad was cautious of you. He was convinced that since you were a young guy, handsome, in shape and confident that you were using me for sex and then was going to dump me the second someone better comes along."

"There's no one better out there."

Erin sighs contently, her head resting against the headrest, "I can't believe he spied on a date we had," she's laughing to herself, "but I'm a little relieved. It's the day he saw how much we loved each other. He couldn't deny what he saw with his own eyes."

Jay smirks at her, "Your mom loved me." He reminds.

"Of course she did," Erin is nodding, smiling from ear to ear, "you made me happy. My mom loved anything and everyone who treated me right and put a genuine smile on my face."

Jay continues driving; he's maintaining the speed limit and is being very mindful of the road signs. Erin didn't know, but he's watching the cars around him. He's watching for any sign of a car following them. Halstead is on guard. He pulls to a stop at a red light, "Your dad really hated me? I just thought he was super protective because you're his only kid…and you are a girl."

"My dad hated anyone in my life that he can't trust." Erin is laughing, thinking about the early years of her relationship with Jay, "He ran a background check on you."

"He did?" Jay starts driving forward, "How come I didn't know this?"

Erin shrugs, "It never came up." The two start laughing, "He saw we were getting serious."

"When did he start trusting me?" Jay pulls up to his gated apartment complex. He types in his code and waits as the bar lifts up to allow Voight's truck through.

"…when he overheard you telling me that you love me," Erin rubs his hand, "He saw it was real. My dad can read through lies better than a lie detector. He could see you meant it."

Erin opens her door and steps out. Jay's staring forward. Most of what she said he knew, but some information was new. He couldn't help the smile pulling at his lips. Jay quickly hopped out of the car and raced around to her side, "Hey," he whispers, turning her around to face him. His lips met hers for a moment; gentle and kind and most importantly, comforting and filled with love.


	14. Help Me

A few days have passed since the attack. A few days have quickly flown by since Erin has seen or even heard from Tucker. She wanted to feel relief, but the thought of him still being out there, terrified her. He could be planning something. He could be watching and taking pictures of her. Over the few days that have passed, Erin was constricted to school, Jay's apartment or the precinct. An officer had to be with or near her 24/7…her father's orders not hers. She didn't mind it when she was alone, but when she was in a public place, she felt no fear. Tucker wouldn't strike in a populated area. He couldn't be that stupid. Voight didn't want to take the chance though. Tucker was grower bolder with each passing day. He didn't trust the guy. He didn't know what he was planning next. Voight wanted to stay one step ahead, leading him and Jay to bring Erin to the county courthouse.

After hours trickled on by, Lindsay follows her dad and boyfriend out of the courthouse. In her hands is a file, and inside that file is a restraining order. The three individuals carefully walked down the outside stairs, "Okay, dad I want to run something pass you."

Hank hesitantly eyes her, "What is it?"

"Some classmates at school are having an early Halloween party."

"Halloween isn't until next week."

"That's why it's an early Halloween party," she reminded, feeling the wind blow her coat open, "I wanted to go." She hands Jay the folder so she can hastily button up her coat.

"Are you asking me or telling me?" Hank stops walking and turns to face his daughter.

"…a little bit of both."

He's hesitant, "I'm not sure."

"Dad, I've been cooped up in Jay's apartment and the precinct since last Thursday." She pulls her father to a stop, her hand on his shoulder as her eyes pleaded with the stubborn man, "It's been six days. I need to get out."

"Tucker is still out there."

"I know," her hand dropped, giving him a hopeful look, "which is why I wouldn't mind if you had an officer or two follow me."

"Two officers parked outside a loud and crowded costume party isn't safe. They can't keep their eyes on you…and everyone's dressed up. Tucker could easily blend in and hide himself."

Lindsay knew her father made a good point. She didn't want to be stupid about this. She really wanted to go, but not at the expense of her safety. Erin was missing out on the remainder of her college years. It had only been a few days since his attack, but she felt stronger. She was no longer in denial. If he tried anything, she would tell her father immediately. He hasn't done anything for her to tell him…maybe, possibly, he was done. Lindsay thought about the party. The classmates who invited her, she met her first year of law school. A week before midterms and finals, they would form a study group and review their coursework together. They had heard about what happened to her –most people at the university did- and to cheer her up, they invited her out. Erin needed to go.

"What if they come inside?" The thought occurs immediately. It's her last attempt to convince her dad. If he said no, she wouldn't go.

Voight chuckled at the idea, "You want two cops at a college party?"

"Well, no one has to know they're cops." The idea sounded absolutely perfect in her head. It was a win-win on both sides. She gets to go out and have fun while her dad remains sure that she's safe. Erin grabs his hand and yanks it desperately, "It's a Halloween party. Everyone will just assume they're in costume."

"What do you think?" Hank looks to Jay. He trusts him enough to know he'll always put Erin's safety first.

Jay's eyebrows furrow in worry, "I'm not sure-"

"Tucker hasn't shown up. He hasn't contacted me at all."

"That's because we haven't left you alone…" Jay reminds, turning his girlfriend to face him.

She's a debater. She won't give up easily. It's not who she is. It's not how she was raised to be. "And I won't be alone…I'll be surrounded by tons of people."

"Tons of drunken people who won't be watching your back," Voight chimes back in. It's two against one now. Erin still doesn't back down.

"That's why your two officers will be there."

Voight rubs his forehead, "I don't trust everyone with you."

"Well, assign me cops you do trust." Erin feels like she's stating the obvious. She understood her father's worry. She was worried too, but she couldn't put her entire life on pause because of this guy. He would be winning. Erin couldn't let that happen, "Give me Burgess and Roman."

"We'll see," Voight begins walking in the direction of the parking lot, "I'll get the car."

She shouts behind him, "That isn't a no!"

"It's not a yes either!" He hollers back.

Erin and Jay stood in front of the courthouse, waiting for her father to bring the car around when she opens up the manila folder, "I still don't see the purpose of this," Erin reads Tucker's legal name printed across the restraining order declaring that he must stay a certain amount of yards away from her, "This won't keep Tucker away."

"We know," Jay rubs his hands together, trying to create warmth for his cold palms, "We're building a case against him. The more stuff we have to charge him with, the longer he'll be put away. If he violates that and comes anywhere near you, it'll just add time to his sentence."

Erin closes the folder, "That's actually smart."

Lindsay places the file under her arm. Her pea coat was buttoned up, and she stuffed her hands into her pockets. It's mid-October and it is absolutely freezing outside. Jay is rocking back and forth, contemplating ways to bring up a certain subject with his girlfriend, "You've been staying with me for the last six days, and I've really been enjoying your company."

She smirks, "What are you hinting towards?" She wants him to get straight to the point.

"We should make this living situation permanent."

It was a step up in their relationship. The couple is young, they've been dating for seven years and moving in together was the next appropriate step to developing their relationship.

The days that followed Erin's attack was filled with overtime pay for officers and a lack of sleep for the detectives. Roman and Atwater managed to issue an arrest warrant for Tucker. He's currently being charged with breaking and entering, assault and battery, harassment and stalking, and attempted murder. Erin felt comforted knowing that if he's found guilty for each crime, he'll most likely serve at least 15 years. She felt Jay's arm wrap around her shoulders and pull her in close, "You don't have to give me an answer now."

The following day after the arrest warrant was issued, Dawson and Ruzek managed to get a warrant for the security footage at the apartment complex. They needed all of the evidence they could get. It's one thing to charge Tucker with these crimes; it's another thing if they can't prove it. Unfortunately, only one camera was working. The other cameras had been broken since way before Erin even met Tucker. Her dad was the very definition of pissed. When Erin first moved in, the landlord prided the complex on the safety of the apartment and the neighborhood. Fortunately, the camera that did work was to the main entrance. They saw Tucker as he entered the apartment wearing a clown costume and holding up a large box, to which they all new was filled with snakes. Most of the evidence they had against him was circumstantial and with a good lawyer Tucker could definitely get off…but Erin wasn't worried about that. She knew her father. He would do everything in his power to not allow that to happen.

"Erin," Jay nudges as her father pulls up.

Voight is honking at them, "Come on! We have to get to the precinct. Mouse called." The couple is quickly hopping into the car, trying to avoid the honks of protest from the automobiles stuck behind Voight's truck, "He may have found Tucker's location. The team is meeting us there...at the precinct."

"Where am I going?" Erin buckles her seat belt. She doesn't have classes. She was absolutely free of plans.

"…with us," Jay states the obvious. Just because they knew Tucker's location, didn't mean Erin didn't need protection. Until he was in police custody, she would remain under an officer's watch. Jay buckles his seat belt as Voight speeds off, "When we find out his location, you'll stay upstairs in the bullpen. We'll send an officer to my apartment to get whatever you need to entertain yourself. It's just until we have him."

Erin understood their worry. They had reason to be concerned, it was just…it felt weird having everyone babysitting and protecting her. The Intelligence Unit had cases that still needed to be solved, but they were focusing on her. There were victims out there waiting for justice. Families and friends of victims were waiting for closure. She didn't want everything about her. The only reason her case is even getting this much attention is because her father's the sergeant of Intelligence. If she was a regular citizen with no connection to law enforcement, they would probably brush her case under the rug, file it away and tell her to keep a log of everything that Tucker does. She'll be doing most of the work, but because her dad is Hank Voight, none of that happened. She wasn't grouped with everyone else.

The Chicago traffic was bad today. Over the span of six days, this was the biggest lead they had, and Voight was desperate to receive the location and arrest him before he disappeared again. Tucker hadn't been at school. He still had an Indiana license, and the address listed was in Indiana. They didn't know where he resided in Chicago. All school files and documents registered his Indiana address. Voight was growing frustrated. He was tired of honking his horn and merging in and out of lanes. Without a second thought, he turned the sirens on.

"This is cool," Erin whispered, as the car sped up to an unreasonable speed limit, "Why have I never rode with you when the sirens are on?"

"…because the driving gets dangerous," Voight responded, eyes focused on the road. Cars pulled to the side of the road in order to allow his truck to pass.

"We have to do this more often," Erin felt a rush of adrenaline. As an abider of traffic signs and the speed limit, she has never gone so fast. Her car barely went ten over the speed limit. It felt like her father was pushing twenty or thirty over.

"…not a chance in hell," Voight responds, making a sharp right turn.

She shrugs, "It was worth a shot."

The precinct is straight up ahead. The sirens are cut off. A crowd of officers is formed in front of the district. They're surrounding something or someone. Voight does a rush parallel parking job, but his car is out of the lane, so he immediately deems it acceptable. The three jump out of the car. Jay sticking close to Erin, as Voight pushes through the uniformed officers and the plain-clothes detectives, "What's going on?" Hank spots Dawson.

Before his question is answered, he notices the reason for the small crowd of officers. In the center of them is Tucker, he's on his knees and his hands are high in the air. Olinsky is pulling Tucker's arms behind his back as his rights are stated loudly for everyone to hear.

"I heard there was a warrant out for my arrest," Tucker admitted, his voice shaken and innocent, "I came to turn myself in. There must have been some misunderstanding." Olinsky roughly pulls him to his feet, "Hi Erin," he spots her standing beside Jay. Erin doesn't respond. She bites down on her lip as images of that night flashback in her mind.

"Where are you taking him?" Hank questions Olinsky, but his eyes remain on Tucker.

"…to booking."

Hank shakes his head, "I'll take him." No one protests.

Officers begin to head to their assigned cruisers or back into the district. The Intelligence Unit remained outside. Voight's arm is wrapped tightly around Tucker's handcuffed arm, while Al's remain secured around the opposite arm, "Voight."

"Al, let him go."

"Where are you taking him?" Olinsky sounded nervous to ask the question.

"I'm not going to kill him if that's what you're worried about."

Tucker is quiet. His eyes are on Lindsay. There's nothing he can do to pull his eyes away from her. It's like an addiction. He has to watch her. He has to have her. She was his prize and he was going to win her no matter what he had to do. He ignored Voight and Olinsky's arguing as his eyes remained focused on her. He's looking hard. He's observing every minor body movement she makes. She's biting her lip. She's avoiding eye contact by looking down at the ground. She's tapping her fingers against her jeans. His presence made her nervous. If they were alone, it would make her submissive. Tucker grinned widely. Seconds later, Jay notices, and steps in front of Erin, obscuring his vision of her. Tucker's grin falls.

"Let him go! That is a direct order Olinsky."

Al is hesitant, "I'm trying to look out for you Voight. You're too connected to this. If you do something…anything, it could ruin our chances of a conviction. You're too close to the case."

"If I'm too close, then we're all too close," Hank pulls Tucker away from Olinsky, "Walk, now."

As Tucker follows Voight's order, he gets a quick sight of Erin. He smiles at her, and she feels forced to turn away. Tucker chuckles silently to himself. This is all going to be fun. The chase is always the exciting part. The team follows behind Voight and Tucker as the sergeant leads him into the cage. Tucker feels forced inside, "What is this?" The handcuffs are unlocked from around his wrists, "Is this a cage? This can't be legal. I'm in a cage."

"It's usually where we keep the animals," Ruzek quipped, locking the cage.

Voight holds his hand out, "Keys Ruzek…now." He follows Voight's orders and hands him the keys. Hank steps to the cage and wraps his fingers around the cage bars, "I need some alone time. Give me a few minutes."

Olinsky scratches his beard, "I don't think-"

"That's an order!" Voight hollers, turning to face his closest and oldest friend. They're face to face, a few feet apart, and the look on Voight's face is intimidating…he's waiting for Olinsky to violate the order. No one…no matter how close he is to them is going to stop him.

Hank notices the quick flinch of his daughter when his voice rises. She has seen him angry, but not this angry. His face was red. His eyes were wide. A stress vein was visible on his forehead and she was afraid that if he strained his face harder, it would pop. Voight's face relaxes at the sight of her. He doesn't want her to see him like this. He wants to keep his work and family life separate. Hank takes a deep breath and steps back, "Halstead, take Erin to my office. Wait for me there," Jay nods and does as he's instructed. Erin doesn't argue. She follows her boyfriend out of the room. Hank turns back to his team, "I'm not going to kill him. I just want to talk to him…alone. I have that right as sergeant of this unit and as her father," he points off into the direction Erin disappeared in, "If anyone has a problem with that, I suggest you transfer out of my unit. Am I understood?" Everyone nods, including Olinsky, "Now get out of here."

Jay ushered Erin into her father's office and closed the door, sighing in relief at the sight of the empty room. Erin was still holding onto herself as tightly as her strength would allow and he eased himself towards her, pulling her body into his arms, "We got him."

Erin pulls free. She starts pacing. Her head is shaking and her arms are clenched even tighter around her body, "Tucker must have something up his sleeve," her arms drop from around her body and she begins stressfully rubbing her forehead, "He's not stupid Jay. He's manipulative. He thinks things through. He may be impulsive at the moment, but afterwards he knows how to lie and cover his trail."

"He's in our custody now," his hands are set on her shoulders, preventing her from continuing her pace, "He's not going anywhere. He won't hurt you again."

"He's smart Jay."

"He's not smarter than Hank Voight."

She swats his hand away, "You're underestimating him."

"Your dad will handle it."

"How?" Erin steps back. Her hands are thrown in the air, "How Jay? My dad is acting on pure emotion. Tucker is acting on pure calculation. He's going to get out of here."

"No he won't."

"I am the end goal. He won't give up until he gets it."

"He won't get a chance." His voice is pleading for her to believe him.

"…of course he won't," she's nodding her head, "because he has never gotten the chance before, right? He never risked it all to be with me, right Jay?"

Halstead ignored the sarcasm, fully aware that Erin was trying to deflect from the situation and the conversation. He could tell she was shaken up and worried, and Halstead didn't blame her at all, but making light of the entire situation wasn't going to change the fact that Tucker had targeted and attacked her.

"You have to stay strong babe. You can't let him get to you. Don't let him see that he's getting to you Erin. He'll pry upon that."

Her voice tries to sound strong, but it fails, "He's going to come for me."

"No he won't."

Erin is quiet. She drops her arms and sets her hands on her hips. She could see through the window in her father's office, the team trying to look busy. They were listening. She didn't care. She knew she was right. Tucker will find a way. He's desperate and he's thinking clearer than her father. Erin was just pissed to find the rest of the unit –more specifically- everyone but Olinsky, were blindly following him.

"Say something."

"Sometimes," she bites down onto her bottom lip, it's her nervous habit, "saying nothing Jay, says everything."

"We have it all under control."

Her hands drop from her hips, "…of course you do."

"Erin-"

"No Jay," she's shaking her head as she begins pacing again, "You guys are detectives. You're trained for this type of stuff, right? You're trained to pick up on lies. You see through people. You question them. You can see things coming from a mile away, am I correct? You can look at someone and know they're bad news. You can predict what's coming. You can read people. You can predict what they're going to do next. Am I right? I know I have to be right," she stops and looks up at the ceiling furiously before dropping her eyes back to him, "You all have this precognition that gives you the ability to see the future. That's the only way you can assure me that this won't blow up in my face…because I'm the only one that's going to pay here! Tucker doesn't want you Jay. He doesn't want my dad. He couldn't care less about Burgess, Roman, Ruzek, Atwater, Dawson…he wants nothing to do with them! So tell me," her voice finally lowers as she steps to him, "look me in my eyes and tell me that you can see the future and that's how you know it's all under control." Her eyes are full of tears that refuse to fall, "You can't. No one is psychic here. If you can tell me how this will all play out, then I'll shut up, but you can't. Every day we hear about innocent people going to prison while guilty people walk free. The scales of justice are out of whack. Tucker is going to walk…if you can't see that, then I'm not the only one who is in denial."

The young detective saw the pain in his girlfriend's eyes. She was scared. She was speaking out of emotion. Erin was trembling. Every day they would tell her to think about something else, clear her mind, but when she's forced to only go to three places a day, she doesn't have the freedom to think about other things. That was the main reason she wanted to go to this party. It would give her brain a few hours to think about something else besides Tucker.

"We're not psychic-"

"Of course you aren't," her voice breaks in desperation, "if you were, none of this would be happening. I wouldn't have been attacked. Tucker wouldn't have had the chance to do everything he did. I would be fine." She's shaking her head, "but you're not psychic. You can't predict what will happen down the road…so stop standing here and telling me what you think I want to hear. I want to hear the truth. If I wanted to be lied to, I would talk to anybody else. You don't lie to me Jay…so you don't have to start now." Lindsay stepped forward, lacing her fingers through his. Her forehead rested against the center of his chest, "You don't have to be strong for me. I can take it. Whatever you're feeling, I can take it."

"How can I help you? Help me, help you."

She can tell he's avoiding his emotions. He's covering what he's feeling with a mask that she'll eventually pull off. She's the one affected the most, but by Tucker hurting her, it affected those she cared about. Erin decides not to pry. When she would push him away, he never pried and she'll do the same for him. With her head resting against his chest, she responds, "I would really like to go to that Halloween party. Tucker's here…it's this Saturday…two days from today."

"I'll try to convince your father," there's a soft knock on the door before Dawson speaks up.

"Erin, we want to ask you a few questions."

Jay lowered his hand, opening and then guiding Erin through the doors and out of her father's office. Contact between the two never breaking as she takes a seat in front of the unit.

Tucker felt someone grab the back of his shirt and toss him as far as five feet from where he was standing. The air left his lungs as he slammed into the ground. Someone towered over him, brown eyes dark with hatred. Voight reached for his shirt, and crashed his back against the cage, "Did you really think you were going to get away with this?"

Tucker's lip is bleeding, "There's no proof for what you're accusing me of." His feet leave the ground briefly as Voight tosses him back into the cage, "it's Erin's word against mine." Tucker rises from the ground and wipes his lip with the back of his hand, "I'm innocent. Any judge and jury will see that. What do you think the public will think knowing the sergeant of the year is threatening an innocent law student?" There's a bench in the cage that Tucker takes a seat upon, "They'll think you're bias. The supposed victim is your daughter. Of course you'll believe everything that pretty little mouth of hers says."

"You stalked her."

Voight has to close and lock the cage door. If he keeps it open any longer, he'll kill him. The likelihood of him ripping Tucker's heart out of his chest was high. Olinsky should have stayed down here with him. Voight shoves the keys into his pocket as Tucker remarks, "I didn't stalk her. I didn't do that. I wouldn't do that. Stalkers are creepy. They can't take no for an answer."

"You just happened to show up everywhere she did."

Tucker is arrogant, "I'm pretty sure, and you can run it by Erin to make sure, but I'm pretty sure that any place we showed up to by chance was public places. I know there's the library, the park, the café, the mall…I can't really think of the rest right now."

"You took pictures of her Tucker. We have them."

"How do you know I took those pictures?" Tucker leans his back against the wall, "Anyone could have taken them."

"You left her presents."

Tucker sits up, "You have those? And I'm pretty sure leaving someone gifts isn't a crime."

The sergeant's hands grip the cage. He has the keys in his pocket and he's trying everything in his power to keep them there. Voight moved his face closer to the cage, "You broke into her apartment Tucker."

"What proof do you have?"

"Erin told me."

"Her word against mine," Tucker reminded, drumming his fingers along his pants, "Of course you'll believe her though…she's your daughter."

Voight reminds, "You left your shoes there."

"Before Erin and I had our falling out, I had visited her…multiple times. We hung out a lot. I must have just forgotten them there."

Voight's fingers grip the cage even tighter, "That's bullshit and you know it."

"So," Tucker intertwines his fingers over his lap, "is that it?"

"You dosed her food with walnut sauce. You tried to kill her!"

"I would never try to kill her!" Tucker shouts, rising to his feet, "I would never do that! I would never try to hurt her! I wouldn't! I love her too much to kill her!"

"What do you think dosing her food with something she's allergic to would do Tucker? You can't be that dumb. You can't be that much of an idiot."

Tucker is inhaling sharp breaths, "I didn't do that. She should be thanking me. You should be thanking me. Both of you should be happy that I was there to save her."

Tucker truly believed every word his mouth was spewing. He looked into her father's eyes. They resembled hers. He pictured Erin. He could see her in her father's eyes. He softly smiled, "Is there anything else?" He was ready to be with her. Tucker was growing impatient.

"You dressed up as a clown, broke in and put snakes all over her apartment. You hit her." Voight pulls against the cage, but Tucker doesn't flinch, the cage door is still locked, "You terrorized her! You did that to her Tucker! You scared her! You hurt her! You did the one thing you vowed to never do! How could you do that?" He wanted to play on Tucker's emotions.

However, he wasn't falling for it. He's smug, "Once again sergeant, how do you know this? How did such an inept sergeant win the sergeant of the year award? The competition must not have been hard this year. Isn't there some rule in place to prevent you from investigating a case so close to home? You have questioned me without my lawyer present. You have thrown me around. None of this is legal."

Voight pulls the keys from his pocket, a straight, yet intimidating look on his face the entire time, "You want to know what else isn't legal?"

"What?"

"The ass whooping I'm going to give you if you don't wipe that sick smug look off your face."

"Sergeant Voight," an unrecognizable voice interrupts, as a high heeled lady walks over to him.

He ignores her, "If you do get out of here, you better not even think about touching her. If you do Tucker, you'll have to deal with me…and I don't think you want that."

Hank steps into the cell, pulls his handcuffs out and hooks them around Tucker's wrists. The law student is smiling at the sight of his lawyer. She heard the threat. Tucker is gleaming proudly. He had called her before going to turn himself in. He'll be out soon. He knows the process. This isn't his first rodeo with the police. It's the reason he's in law school. He wants to be able to beat them at their own game. If his lawyer knew how to do her job, he would be out by tomorrow.

"He questioned me without you present," Tucker informed his lawyer as he was escorted out of the cage, "He wouldn't stop questioning me."

"I hope you know that anything my client has said is inadmissible in court." The lawyer followed Tucker and Hank as they walk to booking.

Voight pushes him up the stairs, "Since you're here now, I can ask all the questions I want. Isn't that right?" He side-eyes Tucker.

"Now you're acting like you know the law," the smug smile is still on his face, "It seems that-"

"Who's Valerie?" Hank's question silences Tucker. The young man has nothing else to say. He eyes his lawyer and shuts his mouth. The smugness in his expression is long gone.

Voight spots an officer. He managed to get Tucker silent and he's satisfied with that. Hank waves the rookie cop over, "Book him." The officer nods, "and make sure you do it right," the rookie cop takes Tucker and leads him and the lawyer away.

"Mr. Voight," Tucker calls innocently, briefly looking over his shoulder, "tell Erin I said hi."

It takes every fiber of Hank's being to not run over to him and beat him to a pulp. He hated the smugness of Tucker. He walked with confidence. He walked as if he knew everything he did wouldn't stick. Voight buzzed himself up and took two stairs at a time, "We need to find something…we need anything to keep Tucker here."

"Boss-"

"Where's Erin?" Hank scanned the room.

Burgess answered, pointing towards the breakroom "…in there getting coffee."

"Boss-" Mouse turned his computer to face Hank.

He ignored Mouse's calls, "Erin…Erin come out here." Voight tries to replace the worry in his voice with confidence. He didn't need her worrying about anything.

"Boss-"

"What is it Mouse?!"

"I found something," he announces, earning head raises from everyone in Intelligence, "I found Valerie. It took a lot of digging, but I-"

"Get to the point. Where is she? Is she alive? Is she dead? What happened to her?"

Erin's coffee is long forgotten. It's sitting on Jay's desk as she approaches Mouse, "What happened to her?"

"She's in Indiana." Mouse answers, eyeing the team.

Jay sighs in relief, "So, she's okay?"

"No," Mouse shakes his head and pulls up the online article from the small town in Indiana, "She's in a coma. She's been in one for the last year." The computer tech turns his computer back to face him, "Doctors don't think she's going to wake up. She's showing very little brain activity. Her family refuses to pull the plug."

"Does it," Burgess is nervous to ask, "Does it say how she ended up in a coma?"

Mouse skims the article, "It says…she fell off a six-story building."

"I bet she was pushed," Erin crosses her arms and looks up when the team acknowledges her comment with the rise of a brow.


	15. Manhunt

**I just wanted to say thank you to everyone for your kind reviews. I am grateful that you are all enjoying this crazy ride with Erin and Tucker. Thanks for sticking around. Also, I cannot forget. I was recently made aware by a close friend of mine that jaelyn96 promoted my story on Tumblr. You are absolutely the sweetest. Thank you :)**

It was Saturday night. Two days since Tucker's arrest. One day since Erin finally agreed to move in with Jay. And a few hours since a few of her possessions were brought inside. The team had packed up her kitchen Friday night and brought the boxes over Saturday morning. The day was spent unpacking the boxes and merging her kitchen utensils and appliances with her boyfriend's already settled kitchenette machines. On Sunday, she, Burgess, Jay and her father are going back to her apartment to pack up the remainder of her belongings. Even though her lease wasn't up until the end of December, she's still moving out. Her father had no complaints and offered to continue paying rent on it. He was just relieved to know that she wasn't living on her own anymore. Voight never liked the idea of a 24 year old female living by herself in such a big city. It's one of the many reasons he always wanted to stay in contact with her throughout the day. It's another reason why he chose a building that was supposedly equipped with a security guard and surveillance cameras.

On Thursday night after much discussion and persuasion by Halstead and Lindsay, Voight agreed to let her go to the Halloween party. The couple's biggest advantage in influencing her dad was the fact that Tucker was in jail. He goes in front of the judge today, Saturday afternoon, and Voight had every reason to be there; sitting front and center. Her dad was in such a great mood, he's even allowing her to attend without a police escort. While Voight's in court for Tucker's arraignment and Erin's at the party, Jay and the rest of the team were going to hang out at his place, have a few beers and watch a game on television.

"I'm leaving in an hour," Erin shouted from the kitchen, taking the blender out of a box, "I'm going to finish unpacking the kitchen when I get home."

His arms wrap around her waist, "Home…I like when home refers to my place."

"Our place," she corrects, turning in his arms.

He nods and repeats her, "…our place."

The two passionately kiss in the kitchen, her arms wrapped around his neck, while his remain on her waist. Neither have a care in the world. Tucker spent two days in jail. Her dad didn't send officers to pop up on her at odd hours of the day. She didn't have police escorts…and she could finally go to places other than school, the precinct and Jay's apartment…her apartment.

Olinsky cleared his throat as he walked into the kitchen. Erin and Jay immediately pulled apart at the sight of him. They felt like teenagers doing something that was deemed completely inappropriate by their parents. He gave the couple an awkward smile, as he moved towards the refrigerator. Erin stretched her lips out into a nervous smile, "We were…we were just um-"

"You owe me no explanation," Olinsky grabs a beer from the refrigerator. He nods his head towards the couple before walking out of the kitchen.

"That was-"

"…awkward," Jay filled in the blank.

Erin's mouth is wide with a smile beaming from ear to ear, "Is it weird if I say that Olinsky catching us making out feels ten times worse than my dad catching us?"

"They're both even in my head."

Lindsay spotted the time on the microwave clock, "I should really start putting on my costume."

"What time are we going to your apartment tomorrow?"

Erin continued to look at the clock, thinking of a good estimated answer, "…maybe around ten."

"Morning?"

"…yes."

"Enjoy hanging with your friends," she pecked his lips and turned to leave.

Erin slightly raised a brow and smirked casually to herself at the touch of Jay's hand against her ass. She shook her head and walked out of the kitchen. He turned to the fridge, grabbed a few beers out of it and began heading in the direction of the living room.

"Finally," Ruzek exclaimed, rising from the couch to help Jay with the beers, "I was about to pull an Olinsky and go in there myself to get one."

Burgess took a hold of the beer Jay held out to her, "Where's Lindsay?"

"She's getting ready," he tossed one to Atwater.

"What's she dressing up as?" Burgess opened up her beer.

Jay shrugged… "…a maid…I think."

Kim accepted the answer. It wasn't guaranteed, but she knew in a few minutes she would find out for herself. The team sat around the large television watching the commercials before a random game started playing on the TV.

Halstead took a seat against the arm of the couch, his beer bottle against his lips as he took small swigs of the beverage. The television ads weren't interesting at all. Usually, the day was spent with them at work, but Voight decided to give them all a day off. They deserved it. Those were his words, not theirs. As the next commercial played across the screen, the group heard Erin's voice from behind, "Why does toilet paper even need a commercial?" She pulls on her high heel, "Who is not buying this stuff?" She steps into her other heel, "Where's my feather duster?" The team chuckles as Burgess gets up to help her look. Kim and Erin disappear into the spare bedroom to search the junky room for the accessory to her costume.

Standing in a pair of her black, pump high heels, black lace sheer sheen stockings and French maid costume, her eyes scanned the cluttered room, "This is ridiculous. Once I move in for good, Jay and I are giving this room a complete makeover."

"Found it!" Burgess announced, holding up the pink and white feather duster, "Here you go."

Erin swiped it from her friend's hands, and smiled, "What do you think?" She bent a leg in the air and set her free hand upon her hip, "How do I look?"

"Hot!" Burgess winked at her best friend.

"What time is it?"

Kim glanced down at her watch, "five minutes to nine."

"Crap, I need to finish getting ready." Erin rushes out of the room.

"What else is there left for you to do?"

Burgess' question goes unanswered as she watches Erin rush through the apartment, doing little things here and there. She could never understand how the woman was able to run around in heels. No matter how hard Kim tried, she could barely walk in them. With the quick shake of the head, Burgess walked back out to the guys, "The game started," she flopped down onto the couch, "How come you guys didn't call me?"

"You were having girl time," Roman answered without pulling his eyes away from the TV.

Kim crossed her arms, "Thanks a lot. You could have let me know though."

"My ride is here," Erin shouts from the comfort of the master bedroom, "don't wait up for me."

"Wait," Jay stood up from the couch. The game on the television, completely forgotten, "Wow, you look hot."

"…told you," Burgess muttered, sipping her beer.

Erin earns the wandering eyes of everyone in the room, besides Olinsky and Dawson. Jay approached his girlfriend, set his beer down on the table. Halstead approached her, and took in the sight of her costume for the first time, "Keep this," he whispers, advancing towards her, his hand playing with the lace at the end of the costume, "…indefinitely."

She chuckles and hits him with her feather duster, "I might come back an hour early."

"I'll be looking forward to it," he brushed his lips across hers.

"Guys stop," Atwater shifts uncomfortably, "This is weird. How can you all watch this?" Kevin wanders his eyes from his team and back over to Jay, "No one finds hearing our coworker flirt with our boss's daughter odd?"

"She's my girlfriend," Halstead reminds him.

"She's Voight's daughter," Kevin shivers at the thought, Erin remains stoic in expression, "Look at her…she's basically him, but with a nice figure and wearing heels…No offense Lindsay."

Her lips are pressed together, and her dimples are present in her cheeks, "…none taken?" She poses it as a question as she looks to Jay.

"We've been dating since before you even joined the unit," Jay has a confused smirk on his face.

Atwater leans back against the arm chair, "It's still weird…get a room or something."

"This is our apartment."

"Aww," Erin ignores Atwater and turns to face Jay, "it's our apartment." She brings her lips back towards him; pressing her lips gently against his. There's a car horn honking and Erin pulls away much to Jay's dismay, "I have to go. That's Daren and Brianna…they're the classmates who invited me to the party."

"Are you sure you don't want me to go with you?"

"No," she scans the contents of her clutch in order to make sure she has everything, "if you go, you and I both know it won't be as my boyfriend, it'll be as my babysitter. Tucker's in jail, Jay."

"What time will you be home then?" Halstead feels forced to ask as he walked her to the door.

She rolled her eyes, "…I'll be back by curfew dad." Lindsay secures her clutch under her arm and stepped out, "I should be back no later than one, maybe two in the morning." Erin gives him a brief wave of the hand as she walks down the long hallway, "I'll see you later Jay…and no I'm not calling every hour or sending texts. I'm having a good time. I'm clearing my head and I'm taking a break from all Tucker related drama." She presses the elevator button, however she can still see him watching her from the doorway, "Jay, it's going to be fine." The elevator doors opened, but she doesn't step in, "I'm going to be fine. Tucker's in jail, remember?"

"Yeah," Jay's face is serious. He nods in her direction; a simple gesture that holds great meaning. The elevator doors close and she's forced to press the button again. She nods. The simple gesture meaning the world to him, and he closes the door the moment she steps into the elevator. He locks the bottom lock and sighs, "Alright guys, what's the score?"

The elevator doors open and Lindsay walks out. The lobby of the apartment building was cold, and she knew immediately that it was going to be chilly outside. She should have brought a jacket with her. Erin pushes through the revolving doors of the entrance and spots Daren's car parked right outside of the building, "Hey guys," she greets, opening the back door and sliding inside, "Thanks for picking me up again. I plan to drink and I do not want to have to worry about my car and driving back home."

"No problem, sorry we're running late, it's almost ten," Brianna glances back from the passenger seat, "We're glad that you agreed to this. We felt it was the least we could do. You know," Brianna shifted in her seat to face Erin, "…after the Tucker incident. How is he anyway?"

"I have no clue," Erin buckles herself in, "I have wiped my hands clean of him."

Daren started his car, "When Brianna sent out the invites, she made sure to put no clown costumes in big bold letters."

Erin smirks, "Thanks."

"Anytime," Brianna gives her a cheeky grin, "and you look really cute."

Unbeknownst to the three law students, as the bar lifts allowing Daren's car to drive out of the complex, Voight was speeding through traffic, on his way to the home of Jay and Erin. He's pissed. His fingers are tapping against his steering wheel. Occasional profanities were shouted every time he tried to call Erin, Jay or someone else from his team. What's the point of being the boss if no one is going to take your call? He left voicemails and sent texts. Voight changed his mind. He didn't want Erin going to the party. Tucker was released. He's free.

Hank Voight had no respect for the judge who presided over Tucker's supposed arraignment. He was released after the judge dropped the charges. There was no bail set and no later court date assigned. Tucker walked free. Voight thinks back to the courtroom, he came prepared; dressed in a suit and tie, with his badge hanging around his neck. He had authority. He wanted the judge to see that and he wanted for Tucker to remember it. This wasn't a trial. This was simply a hearing to see if there was enough evidence to take Tucker to trial. When the judge requested to see any evidence pitted against the defendant, the prosecutor presented the major piece of evidence; the surveillance video. Voight's hand hit the horn as someone backed out of a parking spot in front of him. He's angry. Apparently, from the distorted camera image of the surveillance camera, anyone could have been in the clown costume. The clown wig and makeup obscured his face enough to present doubt in the judge's mind.

The sergeant pulls into a parking spot. He shuts off his car and picks up his cell phone, "Come on Erin pick up." He dials his daughter's number as he thinks back to the moments earlier.

" _Your honor," the prosecutor is quick to defend the video, but this wasn't a trial of guilt v. innocence. This was a trial determining whether their charges could stand up in court._

" _There is no denying that Ms. Voight was attacked due to the snake bites, but there is no proof that Mr. Rhodes is the one who caused it." The judge speaks kindly. It's hard to dislike him because of his charming personality. You couldn't be mad at him. He was just doing his job. The judge looked at the four faces in the room, "The surveillance video is in black and white, and there's no sound. If this goes to trial, a jury would not buy it. You have to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. There's no 100% way to know for sure that the person in this image is Tucker Rhodes. I'm sorry. What's your next piece of evidence?"_

Voight hears Erin's light voice fill his car as her voicemail played through the speaker of his phone. Her mailbox is full. What's the point of her having a cell phone if she isn't going to use it? Hank is frustrated. He can't be mad at her too much about the cell phone. He would lecture her about constantly being on it and the moment she's not, he wants to lecture her about that too. He unstraps his seat belt, and steps out of the car. His thoughts immediately reverted back to the courtroom minutes prior to the current moment.

 _The prosecutor gives Voight a look of assurance as he presents Tucker's letter to Erin to the judge. The judge wants to read it. As they watch the facial features of the judge contort to fit his reaction to the letter, Voight feels a sigh…maybe this will work…maybe the letter will be enough. Unfortunately, it isn't._

 _The judge was weary in the beginning. The letter absolutely rubbed him the wrong way. It was a letter declaring love that ended in a clear threat. This should have been enough to keep him here. Unfortunately, the judge allows Tucker to speak._

" _Your honor," Tucker stands up respectively, "I-"_

 _Before he could continue his statement, the prosecutor cuts him off, "Your honor I just want you to keep in mind that Ms. Voight stated on the record that Mr. Rhodes handed her the letter and instructed her not to read it until she's alone."_

 _Voight wished the prosecutor didn't interrupt Tucker. He wanted Tucker to say what he had to say. If he was going to deny writing it, then the prosecutor could have used his earlier words to rebut it. Tucker would have been caught in a lie. The judge could have withheld him for that._

" _Your honor, this is her word against mine."_

" _What would be her reason to lie about this?" Hank couldn't help himself. He barely got permission from the prosecutor to be here. He had to promise to stay seated and quiet._

 _The judge banged his gavel, eyeing the detective with a warning, before turning back to the prosecutor, "Is there any other evidence to support this besides her word?"_

" _Her word should be enough," Voight argued. He wasn't letting this go. He couldn't sit quiet and listen in as Tucker insinuates that his daughter lied about everything and the judge implies that the word of a victim isn't enough to prove guilt in a crime._

" _Mr. Voight, this is your first warning. Do not speak out in my courtroom," the judge warns and the prosecutor gives the sergeant a cautionary look of disapproval._

" _No, your honor," the prosecutor responds to the judge's earlier question._

Hank is powerwalking through the lobby of Erin and Jay's apartment building. It's not crowded, which he is relieved to see. He approaches the elevator and immediately begins pressing his finger against the button. Voight is deep breathing, more so because he's heated, but his thoughts of moments before, grow his rage.

" _This is all circumstantial evidence," the judge begins to speak softly. Everyone in the room knew where he was going with his statement. He lifts his gavel and holds it tight, "This isn't a trial to determine guilt, but I can already tell all of you that if this does make it to trial, nothing will come of it. I'm going to save you all and the taxpayers' dollars by dismissing this case. Recharge him later if you find more evidence against him, but for now, Mr. Rhodes you are free to go." The judge's gavel sends a loud, echoing bang through the courtroom._

 _Voight is frozen still. He's paralyzed in anger and disappointment. Tucker was guilty. Tucker was a criminal. He was crazy and he was dangerous. He is too unstable to be walking the streets a free man. Voight is silent. He wants to speak up. He wants to take justice in his own hands, but he's not stupid. He can't do it here. The father prepares to stand up, but Tucker's words to the judge forces him back into his seat._

" _Your honor," Tucker rises, his hands clasped together innocently in front of his body, "my lawyer informed me that there's a restraining order issued out against me. I go to the same school as her. I study in the same libraries. I jog at the nice parks. I visit some of the same cafes. These are some of the places that she frequents. As an innocent man, I do not think my life should be completely adjusted because of this restraining order."_

" _Your honor," the prosecutor is prepared to argue. He rises from his seat and walks around the table, "the restraining order should stay in place. This is a young lady we're talking about. She's in fear for her life because the defendant is stalking her."_

" _I thought our criminal justice system says we're all innocent until proven guilty." Tucker hears his lawyer silence him. He rolls his eyes. He's been doing most of the work. He doesn't need her._

 _The prosecutor ignores the defendant's words and focuses back on the judge, "She's a 24 year old female," he's trying to play upon the judge's emotions and sympathy, "Regardless of what the court believes, she is positively sure that it is Mr. Rhodes who has continuously placed her in danger. She has stated time and time again that she is positive the defendant here is the one who stalked her, poisoned her food with walnut sauce, broke into her apartment, and so much more your honor. If Mr. Rhodes is indeed released and the restraining order is lifted, he will bother her. He will continue to follow and torment her, your honor! You can't do this!"_

" _I would like to speak."_

 _The judge nods, "Go ahead."_

The sergeant waits impatiently for the people inside the elevator to walk out so he can walk in. He presses down upon the sixth floor button repeatedly; hoping the more he pressed down the quicker the doors would close and he'll get to the floor. Voight looks up as each ding suggests he's hitting the next floor. His fist punches into the elevator wall as Tucker's deceiving words played through his mind.

 _Tucker rises from his seat, shoulders broad and the smirk on his face self-assured, "If Erin…I mean," he becomes flustered. It's an act. Voight can see straight through it as Tucker continues, "If Ms. Voight was so in fear of her life, how come she waited so late to get the police involved? And not just the police, but her father…" he glances back at Voight, "she has connections your honor. Regardless of those connections, they should not sway your decision. Everything doesn't add up sir. The letter I supposedly sent her, she just so happen to remember it and read it after the attack?" Tucker is shaking his head. His lawyer can basically leave. He has everything under control. He leans against the end of the table, "She showed her father this letter after the incident. It sounds like a case of manipulation. The phone calls, the texts and the voicemails I left…if Erin…I mean Ms. Voight didn't delete them, you would see that they occurred after the near death experience she received…it was after her father threatened me to stay away." Tucker stands up straight; he catches the judge's eye and pouts sadly, "As a friend who cares about her, I was worried. Yes, I may have called her one too many times, but I was concerned your honor. No one was telling me anything. She almost died right in front of me, but I saved her! I just wanted to make sure she was okay. There was no mens rea your honor. If she thinks I was stalking her, I wasn't. There was no intent."_

" _Your honor," the prosecutor argued, walking around the table he was seated behind, "I would like to mention Valerie Clark."_

" _What?"_

 _Tucker was caught off guard. He didn't expect this curve. Voight could read it on his face. He thought maybe the topic of Valerie would guarantee the judge sustained the restraining order issued. It didn't work though. Tucker immediately got himself together._

" _This case isn't about her."_

" _She was pushed from a six-story building your honor."_

" _She wasn't pushed," Tucker immediately shouted, lips quivering in sorrow, "She fell!"_

"… _with your help," Hank muttered under his breath. He couldn't afford to piss the judge off._

" _Who is Valerie? She isn't in the evidence files."_

" _Valerie is a woman from Mr. Rhodes's past," the prosecutor explained to the judge, eyes remaining on Tucker the entire time, "She would be able to shed light on the kind of person Tucker is, but she's in a coma."_

 _The judge flipped through the file given to him in the beginning of the arraignment. He flips through it once and then twice, "I don't see anything about her in Mr. Rhodes' record. She isn't mentioned at all."_

" _That's because I had nothing to do with her falling your honor," Voight watched him as he played the broken-hearted boyfriend; "Valerie was the love of my life. I would never hurt her. I could never harm her. I loved her too much. When she fell," he closed his eyes and his voice paused, "I tried to grab her. I tried to save her, but I couldn't. I was too slow. I'm sorry," he reopens his eyes and they're filled with tears, "I'm sorry for the tears. It's just what happened to her still feels so fresh. I didn't realize this trial would be about her."_

 _The judge turns to face the prosecutor, "It's not. Let's talk about what applies to the case. What were we talking about before we went off on a tangent?"_

 _Tucker brokenly reminded, "…the restraining order."_

 _The words Voight feared at the moment were soon uttered by the judge. He watched as the judge gave him a sympathetic nod as he lifted his gavel and spoke, "I do not see any reason to uphold the restraining order." Voight felt like the judge was speaking directly to him, "He doesn't seem to be a threat to Ms. Voight or to anyone at the moment."_

" _What about the letter?" the prosecutor argued, flipping through his legal pad notes, "He broke into her place! He hit her! He constantly calls, texts, follows her everywhere and shows up unannounced. He poisoned her food."_

Hank begins running down the hallway. In his right hand is his cell; he's been consistently calling Erin. Her voicemail box was still full. She hasn't checked her messages. The sergeant began beating his fist against the apartment door. He's close to breaking the door off its hinges as he thinks about the last few moments in the courtroom.

" _I'm going to lift the restraining order," the judge is looking at Tucker sharply, "but I do want you to try to steer clear of Ms. Voight._ _She doesn't want you anywhere near her and if you do not want to end up back in my courtroom, you will respect that._ _As an employer of the state, I have to remain impartial and look at the evidence that's present. The evidence presented here is all circumstantial. I'm releasing Mr. Rhodes and I'm lifting the restraining order."_

" _You can't do that?" Voight argues, rising from his seat._

 _The judge bangs his gavel, "I believe I just did."_

" _You're letting some idiot kid manipulate you!"_

" _Sergeant-"_

" _You know Erin! You know she wouldn't lie about any of this."_

" _It's not about who I know. It's about the law…and right now, your side of the law failed to provide adequate evidence for him to be detained," the judge averts his eyes from the sergeant and over to Tucker, "You are free to go Mr. Rhodes."_

" _You better stay away from my daughter."_

" _Sergeant-"_

" _I swear Tucker-"_

 _The judge continues to bang his gavel, "Sergeant-"_

" _If you so much as look at my daughter, you'll be the next body floating in the river!"_

" _That is ENOUGH!" the judge shouted over the booming voice of Voight, "maybe Mr. Rhodes needs a restraining order against you sergeant."_

The front door swung open, displaying the confused face of Olinsky. He read the look on Voight's face, the desperation in his eyes and saw the phone in his hand.

"Where's Erin?" He pushed his way into the apartment.

Jay mutes the television, "She's at the party. She left about half an hour ago. What's wrong?"

"None of you know how to answer your damn phones!" Voight hollers, slamming the door shut behind him, "Tucker was released."

"What?" Jay rises from the couch.

Voight raises his hand to silence the detective, "And the restraining order was lifted."

"The judge can't do that," Burgess argued.

"Well he did," Voight shoved his cell into his pocket, "and he placed one on me."

"Crap…crap," Burgess is pacing, her hand pressed against her forehead, "I'll call Erin."

"She's at this party. Who went with her?"

"You pulled the police escort off because Tucker was in holding."

Voight immediately looks at Jay, "Her boyfriend didn't go with her!"

"Tucker was in custody," Jay defended, watching as Burgess attempts to call Erin, "We didn't think he would get out. And she didn't want me to go and babysit her!" He rushes to his bedroom and appears seconds later, "I'm going to the party. I'm taking her keys…my car is parked on the other side of the complex. I'll bring her here." He leaves.

Hank scans the room. He notices the eyes of his detectives are avoiding him. He's thinking quickly. He has to figure out what to do. Hank's fingers drum erratically against his leg, "Burgess," he calls on his daughter's best friend, "you and Roman find Tucker and keep your eyes on him at all times. We need to build a case that will stand up in court." Olinsky opens the door and allows the two officers to run out.

Voight turns to face his detectives, "Dawson and Atwater, I have an important job for you two." He approaches them, and his eyes plead with them to accept without questions or complaints, "I need you to take an overnight trip to Tucker's small town. Find me something…anything that can tie him to what's going on with Valerie. If we can't get him for what he did to Erin, then I'll get him for what he did to Valerie. Don't leave that town until you have something." The detectives nod, and begin their quest out of the door. Their day off turned into an overnight trip for work. Voight releases a loud breath. He won't be reassured until Erin is in his sight and Tucker is behind bars.

"Voight-"

"Al, no," Hank shakes his head. He sees Mouse and Ruzek sitting on the living room couch, wanting to say something, but not knowing exactly what to say, "I was supposed to protect her."

"She's fine."

"You don't know that." The sergeant pulls his cell out of his pocket, "She hasn't answered any of my calls. She hasn't responded to my texts."

"She's a 24 year old at a college party. She's just having a lot of fun."

Voight nods, "I hope you're right."

Thirty minutes into the party and Erin felt like the stereotypical college student. She never got to let loose. She never had a day to focus on anything besides school and her relationship. Now was the time and opportunity for her to just let go of all her worries and embrace the now. She was always thinking about the future. She always thought about everyone else. Now it was time for her to focus on herself. Lindsay lifted her fourth drink into the air as she danced barefoot on the table. Crowds of classmates and students from the nearby university were chanting her name and she absolutely loved it. Everything about it was rejuvenating. Some knew her here as the daughter of Sergeant Voight and some knew her recently as Tucker's chosen one. Now, they were seeing her as carefree…as having no worries. She was fully embracing her youth.

"Pass her another shot!" Someone shouted over the music.

A man dressed as a basketball player extended the drink towards her and she happily took a hold of it. It's the one thing she loved about being nice and sweet with everyone. The people that knew her, genuinely liked her and the people she recently met, enjoyed her company. She wasn't the Erin Voight most people thought when they found out she was the only child of a sergeant. No one knew about her past; falling in with the wrong crowd. She liked to keep it that way. If they did, most wouldn't believe it.

As the 24 year old danced tabletop, she swung her hair around to the beat of the music. Her friend was watching her, making sure she didn't fall off the table as people began cheering louder. Erin needed to go to more college parties. She had been too stressed recently and this had been the only proven method for her to clear her mind.

"Pass her another shot," a different classmate hollered over the music.

"Don't pass her another shot!"

She hears a familiar voice shout even louder. Her posture immediately straightened and she stopped dancing. Erin sees Jay. He's pushing himself through the crowd, eyes focused on her the entire time. She immediately felt like a child. A shot was held up in her direction, but she ignored it. Jay approaches the table, and extends his hand up towards her, "Come on."

"Hey dude," the costumed basketball player steps in, "the lady's having a good time."

"It's the lady's time to go."

Erin furrows her brow, and uses Jay's hand to step down, "Don't tell me you guys had second thoughts. This…this isn't fair." She steps into her heels.

"Come on Erin," Jay nods towards the exit, "I would prefer to speak to you when I can clearly hear my thoughts." The music was loud…extremely loud. He's surprised the neighbors haven't called the police yet.

"Come on man," a guy dressed as a Greek god slurred, "she's been through a lot. Let her have some fun. Come on Erinnnnn," his voice continued to slur.

"Erin, we're leaving. It's an emergency."

She sees the look on his face and she knows he's serious. If she refused, Jay would just throw her over his shoulder and carry her out. She was already a little embarrassed. She didn't want to be even more embarrassed. Her partially tipsy self wouldn't be able to handle it. However, her sober self would. She didn't care much about what people thought of her.

They're walking down the front path. She's stumbling every once in a while, trying to keep up with Jay's fast walking feet, "Wait up," she hiccups, "Why are you walking so fast?"

"…because Tucker got out!" He shouts, running his hands through his hair, "and there's no restraining order. The judge lifted it."

"Can he do that?"

Jay shrugs, "I don't know. You're the one in school to be a lawyer."

"Where's my dad?" She sees her car parked crookedly in a nonexistent parking spot. Jay was definitely in a hurry.

"He's at the apartment," Jay answered, pulling his keys out, "Where's your phone?"

She opens her clutch, "Right here..." Lindsay hits the button and pouts, "Oh shit."

"Yeah, your dad has been calling you like crazy. He'll update us on the arraignment…or I guess the lack of arraignment when we get to the apartment."

"I am not drunk enough to handle this," she whispers, handing him her clutch and phone in order to drag herself to her car, "I thought this was all over! I thought I could put this all behind me! Shame on me though! Shame on me for even thinking I could go back to my normal life." She's swallowing back the tears her overly emotional body is pushing forward, "Why did I even agree to come to this stupid party? The moment I relax and clear my mind like you all suggested is the same moment Tucker gets free! I told you Jay," she's hollering, stomping away in her heels, "I told you he was going to walk! I know how this system works! No one cares about the victim! The only thing people care about is protecting the rights of the guilty! Screw the innocent!"

Stumbling forward, Erin moved around to the front of her car, tensing as she grabbed the note beneath her windshield wipers. Halstead watched her face harden and stepped behind her to read the note from over her shoulder. The word 'soon' was scribbled across the unfolded piece of paper. She inhales, struggling to remain unmoved and confident. He's probably watching her.

Erin shoves the paper in her boyfriend's hand, "I would say put this in evidence, but they'll probably just say I wrote it myself and put it under my windshield."

"Erin-"

"I'm going to," she walks towards the backdoor, "I'm going to lie down and sober up a little in the backseat before my life goes back to normal, because that's exactly what all of this has become. It's my new norm." Erin slides into the backseat and slams the door behind her.

Jay watches her lean back and she immediately closes her eyes. He watches the rise and fall of her chest as she breathes in and releases sharp intakes of breath. He wanted this to be over for her. Halstead glanced down at the phone, clutch and keys in his hands. He positions the clutch under his arm, as he swipes and types in her password. Jay sighs to himself as he opens her text messages. There were a few from her father, and the last time she received a text from Tucker was the day of the attack. He clicked to open the man's name, and immediately typed a message.

 _Hey Tucker, we should talk. I no longer live at my old place. I'll send you my new address. Come over tomorrow, around the afternoon. It's important._


	16. My Home

The time was pushing one o'clock. She had every intention of being at her apartment, packing up, by ten in the morning. She's dressed and everyone was at her and Jay's apartment, taking their precious time in getting ready. Erin was impatient. The sooner she made it to her old place, the better. She was ready to put that place behind her and focus in on living with her boyfriend.

"Voight, Olinsky and I are going to stay here," Jay informed, setting his keys down upon the counter, "to make some room for your belongings."

She suspiciously eyes him, "What changed your mind?"

"…no reason," he shrugs it off.

"Why aren't you two coming?" She turns to face her father, arms crossed over her chest.

"We're going to help Jay," he answers, referring to him and Olinsky, "You go to the apartment, pack up and once we get there, we'll start moving the boxes to your car, my car and Jay's car."

Her eyes squint doubtfully, "So…you want me to go by myself? What's going on?"

"…not by yourself," Olinsky chimes in, stepping towards the young woman, "Ruzek will go with you." The young detective nods, backing up Olinsky's statement.

"No offense to Ruzek, but he's no you dad. There is no way in hell you would prefer to stay here with Jay and Olinsky while I'm out there at my apartment…with only Ruzek. You, Al and Jay have been doing this for years. You're close to the case. I can't see you just letting me go."

Erin isn't stupid. She sees her father trying to stay out of the conversation, but she wasn't going to make it easy for him. They were up to something and she wanted to know. When Erin came home yesterday, the plans were already made and set in stone for what's happening on Sunday. They were going to go to her apartment, help her pack up the entire place for good and then leave. After tomorrow, she would have no reason to return. Lindsay looked between each person's face and sighed, "Are you all going to tell me the truth?"

Olinsky picks up her car keys, "Ruzek, go pull her car around to the front of the building."

"Jay," she mutters her boyfriend's name and nods her head towards their bedroom, "Can I talk to you alone for a minute?"

As Lindsay leads her boyfriend down the hallway, she thinks back to last night. She was asleep the entire ride to the house. She had to gather up enough energy to face her dad and all of his worried and frustrated antics. At the memory, she presses her hand against her forehead. She knew from the moment she stepped inside the apartment and he swallowed her up into a hug, he wasn't going to let go. She was a little surprised when he actually did. It was just last night; a few hours from the present. She remembered it all like it happened seconds ago.

 _Voight's arms unwrapped from around her, "You had me worried kid," his hands are holding her face as he examines her features, "You've been drinking."_

" _That's usually what people do at college parties."_

 _Hank is shaking his head, "…not when you have to be vigilant. You can't watch your back if you're drunk. And what the hell are you wearing?" He finally takes in her costume._

 _Erin had completely forgotten her feather duster, but she didn't care. She stepped out of her high heels and walked further into the apartment, "I'm a French maid."_

" _Where's the damn costume?"_

" _Dad-"_

 _He looks at Jay, "You let her leave out like that?"_

" _He didn't let me do anything. He doesn't control what I wear or do. He's not my father."_

" _No," Hank shakes his head, the thought of Tucker temporarily forgotten, "He's not, but I am. More skin is shown than hidden. Erin, you don't have to flaunt yourself-"_

" _Dad, Tucker left me a note." She immediately changes the subject. He was just being a protective goof and she didn't feel like arguing over a subject that would never be resolved. She dressed up as a French maid. Yes, she's a little exposed, but she can't rewind time and change it._

" _What did it say?"_

 _Jay hands it to him, "Soon." He informs._

Halstead and Lindsay are standing in their bedroom. The door closed and locked. Erin glanced down at the note in his hand. It was the piece of paper from last night. Jay watched her visibly pale, "Why are you holding that? Shouldn't that be in the trash somewhere?"

"This is why we're staying…"

She's confused, "You're staying because of a note?"

"We're staying because we're going to take care of this. We're going to talk to Tucker."

"What?" Her voice immediately rises to an octave it has never reached before, "Tucker has a restraining order out against my dad! You're a detective…all of you are! No matter how much I want for all of this to be over, you can't take the law into your own hands! It'll backfire! You'll be the one to end up in prison, not Tucker! He will be free, and you'll be locked away with my dad and Olinsky. You can't do this Jay."

"It's already in motion," he whispers, attempting to calm her.

"Already in motion? What are you-" Something in her brain clicks. She extends her hand towards him, "Where's my phone?"

"Erin-"

"Jay, where is my damn phone?"

He breaks eye contact, "I text Tucker yesterday," he admitted, struggling to fight the urge to take in her facial expression, "pretending to be you. I set up a meeting time. I sent him my address. He thinks he's meeting you here, but really it'll be me, Voight and Olinsky waiting for him. You'll be safe with Ruzek the entire time at your old apartment. Trust me on this."

Jay's hand extended, he brushed a few strands of hair out of her face and behind her ear. She didn't respond right away. She was at a loss for words. Erin wanted to make sure that when she did speak, she got her point across clearly. As he continued to push strands of her hair behind her ear, she gripped his wrist, pulled his hand away from her face, and released it, "You want me to trust you…you're playing a dangerous game here Jay, and I'm going to be the one to lose. You didn't run any of this by me! You just jumped right in; pretended to be me? You can't do that! This is my life that is affected…MY LIFE!" She shoves him away from her, "This guy is sick! He can't be trusted! You're playing into his sick fantasy of me! And whatever he does after this…it'll be your fault!" He's silent. He doesn't know what to say. She wants him to speak. She wants to hear him defend himself; justify why he did it, "Say something Jay," Erin wailed, hitting his chest repeatedly, "Say something!" Jay grabbed her wrists to make her stop.

"You were so happy yesterday," he's gripping her wrists tightly, "you were so carefree and happy and I had to break that; I ruined that for you." He lets her arms go, and he immediately backs away from her, "And I'm sorry! I'm sorry that I want this to be over! I'm sorry that I'm willing to do what it takes to end this! I'm sorry that watching you cry, give up and freak out breaks my heart…because that's what it does Erin. It kills me! What kind of boyfriend am I if I can't even protect you? What kind of cop am I? You want to know how I'm feeling, well that's how I'm feeling! I watched you give up last night. I watched you climb into the backseat of that car and basically give in to what was happening. If you're not going to fight for yourself, then I am. I know you're strong. I know you hate to feel weak. You hate to be pitied…and you absolutely hate it when it looks like you need protecting." Jay's hands tremble against his side, "You can take care of yourself but it feels so much better to do it for you."

Erin was terrified. Even though she tried to hide it, he could see the fear in her eyes. She was scared for him. She was scared about what Tucker may do. Erin runs her hands against her leggings; her palms warm and sweaty. She didn't have a good feeling about any of this.

"What if I stayed?

"…absolutely not," Jay shakes his head, a flare of protectiveness poured through him, "That's not a good idea. I won't allow it…and you and I both know your father will say no. We don't know how this will play out."

"Let me stay," she's practically pleading with him.

"I can't lose you."

She shakes her head, "You won't! I promise! I'll follow directions. I'll do what you say."

"You don't want to stay here for that."

"What are you going to do?" She continues to plead, using the back of her hand to wipe her tears away. She doesn't want him to do something that will get him into legal trouble.

He clears his throat and shakes his head, "…I can't tell you."

"You can't tell me?" She steps away from him, "Why not?"

"…you have plausible deniability."

Lindsay's voice hitches in her throat. He was planning to break the law. Erin was fully aware of it. She could tell, otherwise, why wouldn't he tell her what they're planning to do? Tears pressed the corner of her eyes, and she shook her head; stepping towards him instantly, "You can't do this! Jay," she desperately grabs him, "don't do this please! He's manipulative! If you hurt him, if you do anything to him, he'll use it against you. You might go to jail. You might get hurt. You can't do this…please don't do it."

"Erin," his voice is low, he's pleading with her to understand his side of things, "your father and Olinsky will be here. I won't get hurt. We have this all taken care of. You have to trust that we'll handle it. This guy won't stop…he's not going to stop," he's assertive; he's forcing eye contact between the two, "Tucker managed to manipulate a judge. He followed you. He took pictures of you. He violated your trust. He stalked you. Erin, he kissed you." She had completely forgotten she had told him that. The determination and insistence in Jay's eyes allowed her to know that he wasn't backing down, "There's nothing you can say to convince me to change your mind. I'm keeping your phone here until it's over. Ruzek will be with you. If there's an emergency, he'll contact us on his phone. I'm doing this because I love you."

"You don't have to prove your love to me this way."

"I want to be with you," Jay takes a hold of her hand, "I want to be with you for the rest of my life. Tucker is getting in the way of your happiness…our happiness. This isn't just personal for you and Voight…it's personal for me too! We can't live happily if he's out there…and I want to live happily with you. We deserve that. We deserve each other." Her eyes close as she listens to his words, "I won't run away when things get tough. I can't imagine my life without you. I'm going to put all of this behind us because we're going to be together. I will make things go back to normal…because I love you and you don't deserve any of this."

"Jay-"

"Marry me."

Her eyes open in surprise. She takes a large gulp and steps out of his warm embrace. Erin wanted to say yes, she saw herself marrying him, but she didn't know how things will turn out.

"I should get going," Erin opens her bedroom door, "Ruzek is probably waiting for me."

"Erin I proposed."

She nods, but doesn't look his way, "I'll give you an answer when I see you again. So, you better not end up dead or in jail." Jay found comfort in that. It may not have been a yes, but it wasn't a no either. He watched her go, he heard her share a few words with her father and then he heard the front door close. Tucker should be here soon.

The wind was strong, it picked up and she felt forced to draw her arms together, rubbing her hands against the goosebumps forming along her arms. Erin may have been cold, but she was more worried than anything. As she walked outside, she couldn't shake the sudden feeling that someone was watching her. She was being paranoid. Tucker wasn't supposed to be here for another hour. Jay would text Ruzek updates and he may possibly share them with her. Burgess and Roman were called away to a car accident on the highway. They weren't under her father's services today. When they left to find Tucker last night, they couldn't locate him. His phone was off and it hasn't been turned back on since he was released from holding and received her text... technically Jay's text. Erin stepped into the car and gave Ruzek a soft smile, "I guess we should head out."

"Are you okay?" He wasn't good at comforting girls, but she meant a lot to Burgess, which meant she meant everything to him, "I'm here if you want to talk."

She shakes her head, "I'm fine. Let's just go."

Atwater and Dawson arrive outside of Valerie's mother's house in the small town in Indiana. It was a two hour drive, but traffic late last night was horrible, and then the moment they arrived, they searched out for Tucker's address. They didn't sleep. They spent hours searching his trailer, but they found nothing. After giving up the search at his listed address, they searched and questioned residents on the location of Valerie's parents. Her mom, Tara, was divorced from Valerie's father, Henry, since Valerie's accident.

The detectives walk up the porch stairs of the old, worn-down home. Atwater opened the screen door and knocked on the wooden one behind it, "Chicago PD!" They waited patiently for her to open it and seconds later, a woman with greying brunette hair and sad eyes waved them inside.

"I heard there were detectives in town asking questions about Valerie," Tara smiled, pointing towards the living room couch, "I'm Tara. Can I get you anything?"

"No ma'am," Dawson responds, taking a seat on the couch.

The two detectives watched the woman agitatedly pull out a cigarette and light it. She took a long puff and released the smoke into the air, "Let's just get to the questions. You've come from Chicago…you obviously want to know something about my daughter. What can I help you with? What do you want to know?"

Atwater couldn't sit. He decides to stand, "We want to know about Tucker Rhodes."

"What about him?" The woman takes an even longer drag of her cigarette. It's like a coping mechanism. When the subject of her daughter or Tucker comes up, she feels forced to light a cigarette. She releases the smoke into the air, "I hate the guy," she speaks of it as casual as one would speak of the weather, "He's creepy. No one in this town likes him. He was weird…a weird kid. He's gone now. Good riddance to him."

Dawson leans forward, pressing his elbows into his legs as he gradually makes eye contact with the older woman, "Can you tell us about what happened to your daughter? What happened the day Valerie fell off that building?"

Erin shoves the key into the front door lock and pushes the front door wide open. She looks at Ruzek. The sight of her apartment was one she was ready to never see again. She was ready to pack everything up and leave for good. Empty boxes were scattered around. Newspapers stacked against the countertop ready to be used to wrap glass. She shuts the door behind her and takes a look at Ruzek, "Let's start packing up."

Tucker had high hopes in the fact that Erin inviting him over meant something; meant they were finally heading in the right direction; meant they were going to be together; a couple…a happy couple. He had read the text message she sent him the night before at least a hundred times. He couldn't believe it. He knew persistence and dedication always won the girl over. The senior law student stands in front of the apartment door. Tucker knows how this will all play out. He'll knock. She'll invite him. And they'll make up and make love the rest of the night. He was ready.

After balling his fist up, he knocked gently against the door. He pulled his hand away and pressed his ear against the frame. There was silence. She had to be here. If she wasn't, he'll wait for her. He has no desire to leave. Tucker balls his fist up again as he prepares to knock once more, the door unlocks, flies open, and he feels hands pull him inside.

Valerie's mom dabs her cigarette against the ash tray. She's rocking back and forth as she feels forced to relive everything that happened. It was at least a year ago, yet the wounds and the memories of that story felt like it happened seconds before their visit.

"Take your time," Dawson is sympathetic. He has a daughter. He wouldn't know what to do with himself if something like this happened to her.

"My ex-husband and a few of the neighborhood boys in the town got together," her eyes are unfocused. It's like she's remembering it all through visual images. She's completely zoned out, "and they beat Tucker up," she focuses her eyes back on the detectives, "they did it as a way to say stay away from her."

Tucker is on the floor. His hand is cradling his jaw as he peers up at Jay. Jay's fists are clenched, and another hit strikes his mouth, "You're done playing games with her. It's over!"

Out of the corner of his eye, Tucker sees Erin. He envisions her. He knows that if she was here, she would do something. She wants to stop the fight; however Atwater and Ruzek are holding her back in his mind. Tucker grins. She does love and care about him. He knew it. She was lying to herself and everyone else when she denied it. She's not really there, but Tucker feels she is. She wants Jay to stop. Tucker smiles and laughs, "You can't keep us apart." Another punch strikes him.

He doesn't want to seem weak. He thinks of his father; his dad taught him to never be weak, always be a gentleman and always be tough and strong; never give up. Tucker will always follow and abide by what he was taught.

Valerie feels the seat sink in beside her when Atwater sits down. She taps her cigarette against the ash tray as the men ignore the overwhelming smell of cigarette smoke. They want the details, no matter how bad they may sound. They need to know everything. They couldn't come back with nothing and disappoint Voight.

"Valerie and Tucker dated for a few weeks," she pauses to take a puff of her cigarette, "but he fell for her way too fast. She broke up with him, but in his head they were still together." The two detectives shift uncomfortably. Valerie's tale was too similar to Erin's…and that was disconcerting, especially knowing how Valerie's story ended.

Tara feels forced to put her cigarette out. She's not a great multi-tasker and when she spoke of her daughter, all of her emotions, thoughts and concentration was put into it. After dabbing the butt of her cigarette, she sets it down, "He would constantly call and text her, and she tried to ignore it, but it got hard for her. She would run into him at school and work, but it's a small town so it's hard to avoid someone, but the coincidental show ups he did, didn't sit right with me." Tara leans back in her seat, and crosses her thin arms over her frail body, "I told her to go to the police, but she said Tucker was harmless. She said he just fell really hard for her…and then Valerie got into an accident and he saved her."

Atwater sits up straighter, "What kind of accident?" He's focusing more on the details Tara is giving. The stories are growing similar with each word she says. It's frightening.

"Valerie fell down the stairs and bumped her head pretty hard," Tara's eyes fall to the framed photo of her daughter. She picks it up and brushes her thumb across Valerie's face, "Tucker found her and took her to the hospital. They got back together after that. He saved her so she figured she would give him another chance." She hands Detective Atwater the picture of her daughter, "He started acting the same way. He was getting controlling and possessive. She broke up with him again a week later," Atwater hands the photo to Dawson as she continues, "…and that's when he really started to just coincidentally show up at the same places she did," Dawson hands her the picture back and she sets it down beside her, "he would call, text and email her, but when we told the police, Tucker just said that he was trying to check up on her." Tara is already sad. She's already down and dejected, but the tone of her voice sinks even further, "So Valerie told her daddy and that's when he and a few of the neighborhood boys lured Tucker to the small town park and beat him up pretty badly."

Lindsay tapes up the last box of her bathroom things. She carries it into the living room as Ruzek is sitting down, wrapping her lamp in newspaper. She drops the box beside him, "You can start carrying them to the car."

"Okay," he sets the lamp down, "is anything fragile?"

"I marked the fragile boxes." Erin informed, watching him stack three boxes, "Don't drop anything. Are you sure you don't want to do one at a time?"

"If I do that, we'll be here all day."

Erin looks at her watch, "The sun will be going down soon. We should get some food."

"Yeah, I'm starving."

"Great," Erin nods with a smile, "I'll continue to pack and since you're already going to the car, how about you go pick us up some dinner?"

"I'm not supposed to leave you."

She sighs, "Tucker's with my dad, Olinsky and Jay. He isn't going anywhere. I'll be fine."

Tucker spits blood to the side. He isn't going to allow her overprotective boyfriend to scare him. He's just an obstacle. That is all Tucker sees him as; he's a problem that needs to be solved and a challenge that needs to be overcome. He's on his knees, another hit from Jay smashes across his face, "Mess with me, and you might walk away," Tucker spits more blood to the ground, "mess with my girl and you'll be lucky if you can crawl away." Voight is smiling proudly behind Jay. He looks like a proud father.

The 27 year old climbs to his feet and stumbles. When he first got here, he expected to see Erin. He didn't expect her 25 year old boyfriend to pull him into the house and threaten him in front of his boss and coworker. Erin was supposed to be here. She was supposed to be talking to him, nursing his wounds and comforting him.

"You think a few hits will keep her away from me?" Tucker chuckles, his teeth stained with blood, "You think a few threats will stop me from winning her heart? You're delusional." He's leaning against the wall, his side aching from Jay's first hit, "And you," he points towards Voight, "I hope you enjoyed your freedom because I'm coming after you. I have a restraining order out against you. You shouldn't be anywhere near me!" Hank threateningly steps forward, "Oh, am I supposed to be scared?" Tucker starts laughing even harder. He's obviously not a smart man. No one in their right mind would find an intimidating Voight funny.

Jay steps in, his knuckles starting to bruise, "Don't worry about her father coming after you, how about you worry about the boyfriend who's going to smash your face in if you try one more thing! You leave Erin alone! I'm serious! Leave her the hell alone."

Tears are trickling down Tara's cheeks. She doesn't wipe them away. She allows them to fall until they drop from her face and dampen her clothing, "Henry, that's her daddy, he and the boys warned Tucker to stay away. They threatened him. He's delusional. When Valerie would tell him to leave her alone, he assumed she didn't mean it, and when someone else told him the same thing, he took it personal. He got really angry. Tucker has a temper."

"What happened after they warned him?" Dawson shifts forward, awaiting the next part of the story. He was curious. He had to know how it ended, and what to avoid with Tucker.

"Tucker didn't believe that's what Valerie wanted, but her daddy said it was true. Tucker believed what he wanted to believe. Henry told him that's why they're here and not her. She wanted him out of her life for good and since he won't take her seriously, she figured he would listen to them. They wanted him to get the message so they beat him to the ground really bad."

Atwater extends his hand to her shoulder, "…then what happened?"

She's growing emotional. She's hiccupping through her tears, "Tucker got really mad."

"And then what?"

Tara rubs her thighs nervously before rising to her feet, "The last thing Valerie told me before the incident was that she was going to break up with Tucker for good. She said her daddy didn't scare him enough."

Dawson rises to his feet, approaching her cautiously, "How did they end up on the roof Tara?"

Olinsky pulls a furious Jay away from the taunting man. Tucker felt no pain. He consistently agitated and instigated the fight between him and Halstead. Olinsky had to get Jay away before he saw red. Halstead's fists are unclenched and his hands are in the air. He's breathing roughly; thinking back to last night and the scared look on Erin's face.

"Hank, take it easy on him." Jay overhears Olinsky warn from behind him.

Voight shrugs, "I'll try."

"I'm not in the mood to dispose any bodies today."

The sergeant ignores Al's words. The plan Jay had to confront Tucker was perfect. If he had to go to jail or lose his badge, it would all be worth it, especially if Tucker got the message. Hank punches and knocks him to the ground "I hope this will teach you a lesson." He pats the 27 year old's cheek, "Don't come anywhere near my daughter again."

"Or what?" Tucker spits into Voight's face.

Without a second thought, Voight's hands clench the collar of Tucker's shirt. His face is bruising and bleeding from Jay's earlier assault. Before Hank could even utter a word, he feels a fist swipe across his face.

Hank stretches his mouth, and wipes his bottom lip, "You have a decent left hook."

"I really don't want to hurt you. So maybe we should just stop this." Tucker tries to wriggle out of Voight's hold. It isn't working. He feels his feet rise from the ground; the adrenaline pumping through Hank is giving him extra strength.

Voight grips his shirt even tighter, "No, I don't think so."

Tucker pictures his father, approaching him, shouting for him to be a kind gentleman. That's who he is and that is what he will be raised to be. He's a gentleman. As Voight's fist flies against his face, he sees his dad. His dad was reprimanding him. He should have been good. He should have been the prodigy son. He should have been better.

Tara is pacing back and forth; her hands clenched around her hair; sweat beads forming on her forehead. She had no idea how to answer the detective's question. All she could do is shrug. Tara has been wondering that since the accident. She feels strands of hair detach from her head, "I don't know," her words are murmured and filled with distraught, "the only person I can ask is Valerie, and she's not going to wake up," her pacing quickens, "the incident," Tara mutters, attempting to shift the conversation a bit, "it's what pulled me and my husband apart," she finally releases her hair and slows her pace, "I'm ready to pull the plug. It's what she would have wanted, but Henry isn't. He blames himself. If he agrees to pull it, he knows she'll be gone for good. He's not quite ready to let go."

"Why didn't you go to the police?" Dawson's hands are on her shoulders.

She's nodding her head erratically, "I did, but we had no proof! It was all accusations!"

A silence falls over them. It's a recognizable one that fell between the three throughout the conversation occasionally. Any time a similar situation between Erin and Valerie was stated; it shifted the thought and quieted the detectives. They had to figure out a way to get Tucker. He was always going to be a problem. He didn't give up on Valerie until she was in a coma. With that said, they know he won't give up on Erin…at least until something similar happens to her.

"What's going on back in Chicago?" Tara fears the answer to the question, but she feels forced to ask. She knows two detectives from the neighboring state wouldn't take the two hour drive over unless it was important.

There's a distance between Tucker and Erin's father. It's a wide distance, but it doesn't seem too spacious to Tucker. He's strong. He's not going down without a fight. He has to prove himself to Erin by withstanding the force of her dad. He has to show her that he's strong; nothing will break him. He showed Valerie…and now he's going to show Erin.

"This isn't legal!"

"Want to know what else isn't legal?" Voight takes over and keeps Jay and Alvin away. He wanted to handle Tucker. Jay's words didn't work…and Hank wasn't giving up without giving it a shot, "You stalking my daughter!"

"I'm not stalking her!"

"…then stay away from her! She doesn't want you anywhere near her!"

Tucker shakes his head, "That's not true!"

"It is," Jay seems calmer. He's trying to approach the man on a gentler level, "She doesn't want you anywhere near her…just stay away from her."

"I'm going to tell her what you're doing to me."

"No you won't," Hank is smiling as he shakes his head.

"She'll be furious. You're physically hurting the man that she loves."

Jay takes an aggressive step forward, but Olinsky pulls him back. This wasn't like him. He wasn't the type to just lure someone to get them alone and then beat them up. Tucker didn't just create a different Erin…he created a different him. Halstead stared down at his aching hands. He didn't want to be like Tucker. He couldn't. It wasn't possible to be that sick and deranged.

"Stay away from her," Jay says, calmly. His calm demeanor is even more threatening than his intimidating one. His hands are shoved into his pocket and his eyes kind of plead with Tucker. If violence didn't work, Jay was going to try a more composed approach, "Please stay away."

"This isn't about you Jay," Tucker shoves his hands into his pockets, "this is about Erin and what she wants…she wants me in her life. It's sad that you can't realize that."

Tucker notices the hallucination of Erin. She's standing behind her father, glaring at him, wanting her dad to leave him alone. He appreciated it. He smiled back at her. Voight is confused. He sees no one there. He steps into Tucker's line of sight; walking through the illusion of Erin.

"She doesn't love you Tucker," Voight doesn't take the same approach as Jay. Halstead's calm now. The sergeant is incapable of calming down that fast, "I know my daughter. She hates you. She never wants to see you…that's why she's not here to stop us."

The illusion of Erin disappears. It was her image that helped him through the pain of the punches, the threats of her boyfriend and father and the warnings given to him by all three men. It was her presence that kept him strong; her presence that made him whole, complete and sane.

"You don't want to say that…" his eyes are closed and he's shaking his head.

Images of his father come to mind. He hears his dad's taunting words. They're mixed with the words of the men in the room. He tries to block them out, but all he hears is his father. His dad was mad at him and he couldn't have that. It wasn't his fault. He tried to be the best boyfriend; he was a gentleman, he made sure to be a good person.

Olinsky is the calmest of the three men. He steps to Tucker, "It's true Tucker," Al pats his back, "it's time for you to take a hint."

"You were supposed to stay away from me," Tucker shouts at the top of his lungs. He's scanning the room for Erin. She was supposed to be here! She was supposed to be with him! This was not how this date was supposed to play out. Tucker rips his keys from his pocket, "I have a restraining order against you! You violated it! And you lied to me!"

"We didn't lie," Hank whispers, nodding towards the door, "We told you the truth. Erin wants to end things with you. It's over," Voight opens the door, "…now get out and stay the hell away from my daughter."

"You all are going to pay for this," the door slams shut in Tucker's face. He stares down at the keys in his hands and storms off. He has someplace else to be.

Tara is aware. She's fully up-to-date on Tucker's whereabouts and his relationship with Erin. She doesn't know the young woman, but she's worried. The stories are too similar. Tara is back to pacing and lighting another cigarette. It's a habit when she's nervous.

"You have to lock him up and throw away the key," she's suppressing her tears as she takes a long puff of her cigarette, "He's manipulative and he's too dangerous to be walking the streets!" Her hand holding the cigarette is shaking; she can't keep it still no matter how hard she tries, "Valerie was his first…I don't want Erin to be his second. He'll continue this…I know he will."

"That's why we're here Tara," Dawson pulls the pacing woman to a stop. His hands are on her shoulders and he's trying to keep her completely still, "We need something against him…anything you can tell us would be great! We want to lock him up for what he did to Erin and your daughter. We want to put him away."

Tara decides to stop suppressing her tears. She allows them to free flow. The detectives were used to seeing tears. They wouldn't judge her for them.

"I can't help you," her voice breaks. She wants to help so bad, but she has no proof. If she did, she would have done something a long time ago, "He's good at covering his tracks."

"Okay," Dawson accepts that. He doesn't want to push her anymore. Their presence already caused for her to relive the tragedy of her daughter.

Her shaking hand brings the cigarette back to her lips and she draws in a long puff, "I will say," she speaks after releasing the smoke, "Tucker was abused as a child and the thing that will make him snap is to be reminded of that," Tara feels forced to take another puff, "that's why I think he snapped…that's why I think my daughter was the casualty."

"Your daughter reminded him of his abuse?"

"No," her voice finally cracks and her shoulders shake in pain of remembering, "since Henry and the boys beat him, he had flashbacks…and Tucker believed that it was Valerie who sent them after him."

Dawson is quick on his feet. He pulls a card out of his pocket, sets it on the woman's table, and he's out of the door, "Call if you remember anything!" He shouts over his shoulder. They have to get back to Chicago. They're fully aware of what Voight, Halstead and Olinsky are planning to do and they have to put a stop to it.

"It'll be two hours until we're back in Chicago!" Atwater hollers, tossing Dawson the car keys, "I'll ride passenger and try to reach Voight. You drive…put the sirens on if we hit traffic."

Tucker is parked across the street. A laptop on his lap; he watches Erin happily pack up her living room. She was slowly packing up the bookshelf. She was here the whole time. She wasn't there when he needed her. As his girlfriend, she's supposed to be there. He feels like a ticking time bomb. He's watching her; contemplating the moment to go inside. She's alone. She's all alone.

Erin had set him up. He begins rocking back and forth in his seat, trying to process how someone he loves could do such a thing. She set him up, just like Valerie set him up. She wasn't the love of his life after all. His true love wouldn't do such a thing. She wouldn't disappear when he needed her the most. She would stand by his side through it all. Tucker's fist slammed against the window of his car –it didn't break- and he hits it until it does. His hand is bleeding. She lied to him. She destroyed the one thing he held sacred; his love for her.

The 27 year old catches her eye. She's looking directly into the camera and he knows it's time. It's time for him to move on. It's time for him to put all of this behind him, transfer schools and find someone else to love him. She didn't deserve his love. She didn't deserve his forgiveness. Erin pulls the camera and the screen immediately goes black. It's showtime.

Tucker steps out of his car; steps over the broken window glass on the pavement and walks around to the trunk. He pops it open, and reaches inside –a butcher's knife- is wrapped in a piece of cloth. The trunk is slammed shut as he notices the security guard begin to make his rounds; he starts outside first for about thirty minutes and then he'll start making his way inside. After watching her since September, he picked up on the times and routes Eric takes when making his on-duty rounds.

The handle of the butcher's knife is clenched in his hand. He's pissed. His feet are pounding hard against the pavement as he pulls the door and steps into her building. Tucker wipes the tears in his eyes. He's heartbroken. He feels like she used him. She should have been honest. She didn't have to get her father and boyfriend to hurt him like that. He was kind. He was fragile. She knew that…yet she treated him so bad.

The man angrily wipes the tears from his eyes as he stands in front of the door. If he knocked, she wouldn't answer. Gripping the knife even tighter, he lifts his foot and heatedly kicks in the front door.


	17. Get Out

Each book is casually being pulled off the shelf, and Erin feels forced to make two piles. She can't bring every book with her; she has too many. The 24 year old decides to make two piles; one is a pile of books that she'll donate and the other is a pile that she's taking to her new apartment. Book after book is pulled from the shelf, and after flipping through the pages, skimming the summary on the back cover and observing the overall condition of the book, she makes her decision. Most fell into the donation pile. The last row of books was on the top shelf of her bookshelf. She can't reach it. She's wearing flats and they give her no extra height. Lindsay scans her living room, the bar stool chair gives height and it's sturdy. She drags it over to the bookshelf, and carefully climbs onto it.

Before Erin can skim the side-bands of each book, she notices something black. It's sitting on top of the shelf, aimed down towards the living room couch, with a small tiny red light signaling it's on. Lindsay looks into the lens. It's watching her. It's recording her. She wasn't stupid. She knows exactly who must have put the camera in. It all immediately clicks. The one photo –of her and Jay on the couch in the nude- it was taken through this camera. If she hadn't had ripped it up so fast maybe she would have noticed it quicker, but the angle of the picture; it had to have been taken from the inside.

Erin grips the camera, and gives it a hard tug. She wants to take it to Mouse, maybe he can do his computer thing and find out where it's connecting to. Obviously someone was watching her. It's connecting somewhere outside of her apartment. It could probably be traced back to him. Erin is holding the camera and its attached cords she pulled from behind the shelf. She's scanning her apartment; looking for a place to put it. Erin chooses to hold it. She needs to call her dad. She tries to think about where her cell is, but the moment she remembers, she sighs annoyingly. It's at the apartment with Jay; he kept it out of fear that she'll text Tucker and cancel the 'plans' they supposedly set up. Lindsay has to be honest with herself. She probably would have cancelled if she had her phone. She didn't want to take the risk that he'll do something and hurt them.

The 24 year old knows that Ruzek should be back any second. She'll wait for him outside. She can finish packing another day. When he gets here, they need to head straight for her dad. He'll know what to do. Without giving the packed boxes a second thought, she rushes to the front door; and the moment her hand begins to reach for the knob, the door is kicked in. The hard impact of the door knocks her off her feet and she falls back to the ground. The camera falls out of her hand and is kicked out of arms reach.

The door is barely hanging on its last hinge. Her back is on the ground and it feels like the door flying open knocked the air out of her. Her eyes are closed. Her head hurts. The second she opens them, her body reflexively rolls to the side as the knife comings flying down. It misses her by an inch and it scrapes against the floor. He heatedly pulls it out, while looking at her with a calculating grin, "It's show time Erin!" He grips her ankle and pulls her near; she's in shock; his face towering over hers as he grips the handle of the knife even harder, he doesn't want it slipping out of his hands and he definitely doesn't want her thinking she can take it from him.

The call ends between Voight and Burgess. He directed for her and Roman to find Tucker; Jay had just informed Mouse to trace Tucker's cell to pinpoint his location…maybe his phone was back on. Voight wants Roman and Burgess to find and track Tucker as soon as possible; he needs to know his whereabouts 24/7.

"I'm about to call Ruzek," Hank informs, dialing the number of one of his detectives, "I'm just going to give him a heads up that Tucker's gone, and the fact that we don't know where he is, I want him to be on guard, just in case."

"Do you really think Tucker got the message?"

"Not a chance," Voight says before leaving a voicemail on his phone. He hangs up and redials Ruzek's number, "Text him…see if he responds faster."

Tucker was buzzing with uneasy anticipation, trying, but absolutely failing to remain calm and in control of his thoughts and actions. Everything about him was erratic; his mental state quickly spiraling out of control. He didn't know he could love her more than he did, but he was wrong. He absolutely hated that he loved her, especially since she broke his heart; shattering it into pieces. You can't control who you fall in love with…and that was his problem. He always fell for the women who would tear his heart apart. Once he got it back together after Valerie, Erin rippled his fragile heart and stomped upon it.

He's swinging the knife –side to side- as he steps closer to her. She's still on the ground, crawling backwards, trying to stay as far away from the large blade. Erin continually backed away –wide eyed, breathing hard- as she felt forced to think quick. He's coming at her wielding a butcher's knife and swinging it in all sorts of directions.

"Tucker, please," her voice is pleading with him. He stops briefly. It's a momentary pause, but it gives her enough seconds to jump to her feet. The closest place is her bedroom. She runs into it, closes the door. The lock was broke from the last time he kicked it in. A closed and unlocked door won't hold him, but it'll give her time. She runs into the bathroom, slams the door shut and locks it. Her eyes scanned the contents of the bathroom, looking for something to use as a weapon. Everything was packed away and in her car. She was without anything.

"Ready or not, here I come."

Ruzek is holding carryout containers of dinner that Erin sent him to pick up. He should have known that on the weekend most food places would be crowded. He didn't expect for the food to take this long, if he did, he would have just requested to Erin that they order from a place that delivers. Adam slides into the driver's seat of Erin's car, and sees his phone in the passenger seat. Voight couldn't have known that he left Erin…it was only a half an hour. Ruzek grabbed his phone and looked at the notification icon. He was in trouble. Hank Voight wouldn't call over ten times if he wasn't.

Adam set the containers of food down in the backseat. He brushed his hands over his legs as he listened to the first voicemail…and then the second…and then the third and so on. Voight was as calm as an overly protective father could be; he wasn't yelling at Adam, he was just getting him up-to-date on everything Tucker related. Apparently, Tucker left, he's still crazy and he's still gunning for them and possibly Erin. Tucker had something personal that needed to be resolved.

Ruzek tosses his phone into the cup holder and begins speeding out of the parking lot. He had to get back to her place. Her car wasn't a police issued cruiser. She had no sirens; no authority on the road. Adam is speeding. If he gets a ticket, he doesn't care; Erin just has to be okay.

"She's going to be fine," he finds himself praying, as he pulls up to a red light, "…Jay's plan had to work…maybe Tucker was just upset because he realized the truth…maybe he's not going after Erin anyone." He has to stay positive. If he didn't, he would drive himself crazy. It'll be his fault…and Jay and Hank would never be able to forgive him.

It's all happening so fast. The door is knocked down; the mirror hung behind the door shatters and broken shards of glass surround her feet. Everything continues to spiral. She grabs one. She doesn't care that it cuts her. The pain of it is far from her mind; all she can think about is protecting herself. She can't die here; not today, not now. She made Jay promise her to be safe. She needed to do the same.

Tucker charges towards her –his knife in the air- aimed for her face. She feels herself cower as he approaches, but as she brings her hands up to cover her face, the glass shard gripped in one hand cuts him. It isn't deep. It won't incapacitate him. It's just a cut…and he laughs. He brushes the pain away, it's like it didn't happen. She brings the glass shard up again, but this time he grips her wrist; his laughter abruptly stops. He didn't find anything funny now.

Erin is scared. He's staring into her eyes –tilting his head- tightening his hold around her wrist every time she attempts to wriggle it free. Their faces are inches apart –he wants to kiss her- she wants to headbutt him, but she knows her head isn't strong enough. It'll knock her out before it even hurts him. Tucker's hand gripped around her wrist shakes unsteadily. The glass shard gripped in her hand starts cutting her. It's shaking against her flesh –tearing it open- with each quick forcible shake that Tucker brings, "Let the glass go." He whispers, his lips less than inches away from her, "you're going to hurt yourself. Let it go."

"Get out! Get out of my apartment!"

"Erin, let it go."

"No," she growls. This was her only weapon. This was the one thing that could hinder Tucker's chances at hurting her if she used it against him. She needed a good grip and a clear opportunity…that's all she needed before she could hurt him with it.

"I said…" his voice whispers as his face contorts into that of a maniac, "LET IT GO!" He raises the knife and the blade is forced severely into the side of her neck. She's choking. It's warm. She can still breathe, but the pain of the knife infliction begins spilling blood down her shoulder.

Ruzek's hand consistently presses down upon the horn. There's Sunday traffic…it seems like everything that can go wrong today, is going wrong. Horns are being honked around him at the amateur driving some cars are doing.

After unluckily making every red light, Ruzek feels forced to run them. He's speeding through stop stops, making illegal u-turns; he's doing what he feels like he needs to do in order to get back to Erin. She has to be okay, if she isn't, it'll be his head on the chopping block.

The car is completely still. It's an accident a few miles ahead and it's affecting the roads in downtown Chicago. He doesn't want to freak her out, but Adam has to warn her. At least if she's prepared, Tucker won't be able to use surprise to his advantage. He dials her house number. It's disconnected. After she moved in with Jay, they ended her house line.

"Crap," his hand beats against the steering wheel, repeatedly, "Crap! Crap! Crap!"

He has to get a grip of himself. Freaking out and causing a scene will not help Lindsay. It won't get anyone anywhere. It's not about him. He has to think about her. It's her life that could possibly be in danger. The traffic slowly picks up, and an idea comes to his head. He grabs his phone when traffic comes to another stop and he dials Burgess' number, "Kim!"

"Adam, we're a little busy. Tucker is-"

"This is about Tucker!" He's freaking out. He wants her to listen to him. He needs her help.

The frustration is gone from her voice, "What's wrong?"

"Please tell me that you and Roman have eyes on Tucker."

Ruzek remembers in one of the voicemails that Voight informed him of his plan to send Burgess and Roman out into the field. He only hoped that the half an hour that passed proved to be not a waste of time. They had to know something; they're the Chicago Police, they're trained for this type of stuff. Tucker wasn't the first person who needed a trail and he won't be the last.

"We don't," Kim's words temporarily freezes time. He doesn't know what he's going to do. Ruzek is stuck in traffic. Tucker is who knows where…and Hank is at Jay's apartment thinking Adam is doing his job and protecting his daughter. He failed…and Voight will have his job for it. He focuses back in on the conversation; hearing Burgess repeatedly call his name.

"What?"

"What happened? What's wrong?"

"I screwed up."

"Adam, where's Erin?"

"She's at her apartment."

"She's fine?"

He shrugs, "I really hope so."

"What happened?" Roman's voice chimes in. He forgot he was on speaker.

"I'm stuck in traffic right now. I'm pulling over. Put the sirens on and come pick me up…" Ruzek directs, hitting the turn signal, "I'm already on the way to Erin's apartment…I'll fill you in when you get here…just get here fast."

Erin is lying in a small pool of her own blood. Her hand is gripping the side of her neck. He didn't puncture anything. She can still breathe. She can talk if she wants to. She should be fine. Erin nods as the thought continues to play through her head. She should be perfectly fine. She will be.

Glass shards are scattered around her. Her left hand is clenched around the left side of her neck. The blood is spilling through the small cracks between her fingers. Tucker is hunched over her. His right knee on one side and his left knee is on the other. He's sitting on her. His weight is pressing down over her petite body as his face hovers above hers, "I don't want to do this! I really don't want to do this!" He strikes her in the face and it makes him cry. He's sobbing as he hits her again and again, "Apologize to me," his fist hits her again, "APOLOGIZE TO ME!"

"I'm," there's a split in her lip from his fist; her teeth are stained with blood; her bottom lip is swelling up, "sorry." She gets the apology out. It's a struggle, but she says it and it's audible.

He grips her shoulders, pushing her hand away from her bleeding neck, "Admit to me what you did! Tell me what you're sorry for!"

"I don't know," drops of blood trickle out of her mouth. She's trying to stay strong. She's mustering up her strength, "I don't know what you're talking about." Erin manages to say it in one breath.

"You set me up."

"No I didn't," Erin wheezes, feeling Tucker's hand cover her neck wound. It isn't deep. If it's treated as soon as possible, it won't be life-threatening.

He pushes his hands down harder over her wound, "You're just like Valerie." He's preventing it from bleeding even harder. One hand over her injury and his other hand pressed over the first hand, "You're just like her! I thought you were different! You were supposed to be different!"

Bruises are forming around her bottom lip and jaw. Her eyes are wide –pleading with his- she wants his help. She needs his help right now. She needs a hospital.

"You want me to save you, don't you?" It's an extremely slow nod, but he gets the point, "Why should I save you? So, you can run off and be happy with Jay? So, you can tell your dad about how much of a monster I am? Why should I save you?" She can't speak. His hands are starting to press down too hard, "Tell me," his anger forces him to push down harder, "ANSWER ME!"

He snaps. It's as quick as a light switch. One second he's calm, pleading with her to understand where he's coming from and the next second he's angry, hurting and threatening her. His hands loosen from the side of her neck, "Admit what you did to me…"

"I don't know," her hands cover her neck wound, "I didn't do anything. It wasn't me!"

"Stop lying!"

Tucker stands to his feet; his dark boots stepping on the large shards of glass, crumbling them into even smaller pieces. She gasps out. The weight of his body was no longer pressed down upon her. She's relieved. Her eyes scan the bathroom, he's still in here; he's sitting on the edge of the bath tub, "Erin," he's watching her, he sees the fear in her eyes as they search around the bathroom, "Erin, I just want you to admit what you did…and how wrong you were. That's all I ask. It's the LEAST," his voice rises extremely, "you can do for me!"

Erin is crying. Tears peak at the corner of her eyes and they drop to the ground. They fall between the bathroom tiles, and before she can register exactly what he's talking about; she feels his large hands grip her hair and drag her towards the bathtub, "You have seconds to tell me." Her silence forces him to turn on the water. He shoves the stopper into the bathtub drain, "Valerie never had the chance to admit to me what she did. You have that chance. Don't waste it! Don't abuse it! Tell me! Tell me how you set me up! You lured me to your boyfriend's apartment! And you let them hurt me! You did that! You're responsible!" He positions her onto her knees. He's ready to dunk her head in. Tucker's hands tighten its grip on her scalp, "Be honest just this once! Tell me!" He's shaking her head, "Admit it! Apologize for what you did!"

"I'm sorry!" She forces it out. The water in the bath tub is reaching the top. It's starting to spill over, "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry Tucker!"

Lindsay has to do everything in her power to stay alive. It's her against him. If she has to admit to something, she'll do it if it buys her more time. Earlier today, she promised Jay that if she stayed she'll stay safe and follow directions. He proposed to her. She said she'll give him an answer as long as he stays alive and out of jail. She should have just given him an answer. Erin didn't think it'll be her that may die to regret it.

"Why are you sorry?" He calms. His voice is no longer loud and badgering. His grip on her hair loosens just a little, "Tell me Erin…why are you sorry?"

She's crying. Her face scrunches together and she's forced to give in, "…because I set you up."

"How?" He's prying for more information.

"I text you," she watches a drop of blood fall into the bath water. It turns the clear water a light shade of red; kind of pinkish. The tub of water is spilling over; soaking her leggings, "I pretended like I wanted to meet you, but I had no intention of showing up. I'm sorry."

"Thank you," he turns off the water. He's smiling from ear to ear; completely satisfied, "Thank you Erin…it means the world to me that you apologized, you recognize your mistake and you regret it. All I wanted was the truth. You know my fears; I'm scared of being alone yet you left me and I'm scared of never being accepted yet you shunned me."

"I'm sorry," she hears his breathing calm down as she continues; "I shouldn't have left you alone. I shouldn't have text you and set you up…that wasn't nice of me," more drops of blood sprinkle into the bathtub and the red water darkens, "I should have been a better friend."

"Girlfriend," he corrects her.

She swallows the bile and nods her head, "I should have been a better girlfriend."

"Thank you," he releases her head and cradles the back of her neck gently, "I'm sorry for your neck. It was an accident."

"I know," she gives him a forced smile, "I just need you to help me. I need you to save me like you always do. You should call me an ambulance."

"I'm sorry Erin," tears spill down his cheeks.

She repeats herself, "I know."

"I'm so sorry, but I can't fight it."

"Fight wha-"

Her question goes unfinished as his hand tightens around the back of her neck and she feels his absolute strength force her head under the cold and bloody water.

Voight receives a call from Mouse; he's relieved to hear from someone besides Halstead and Olinsky. He's been leaving messages on Ruzek's phone for the last 45 minutes.

"What can you tell me?" Hank is pacing; bouncing his keys in his hand, "Where's Tucker? I'll head to his location."

"I pinged Ruzek's phone." Mouse informs, typing along his computer, "After you mentioned how Ruzek wasn't answering your calls, I decided to trace him. He's on the move. He's about ten minutes away from Erin's apartment."

Hank relaxes, "Oh good that means they're not at her place. He and Erin must have decided to get food or something...or maybe Ruzek listened to my messages. Is Tucker there?" Voight was just relieved to know that Erin was safe with Adam. He knows Ruzek wouldn't leave without her.

"When I traced his phone, the last location I picked up was outside your location. It's still on."

Olinsky shook his head, "He must be still here. He's probably waiting for Erin to return."

"Halstead, text Ruzek," Voight orders, watching the young detective pull out his cell phone, "Tell him that Tucker is here and to not bring Erin back here until he's gone. We're going to get him." The only sound heard is Jay pressing down upon the keys on his touch screen. It's a deafening silence. It kills him. He kicks the leg of a chair, "Damn it, I wish she had her phone on her!"

Her injury long forgotten as water swarms her mouth and nose. Her arms are outstretched. She's clawing behind her. She's pulling at his hair, scratching his face; she's doing anything to make him stop. She can't breathe. The water turns a darker shade of red. She can't see. It's stinging her eyes. She's trying to speak, but the water muffles her voice.

"…just relax," he uses his free hand to rub her back, "I'm going to save you." Tucker pulls her head out of the water and he starts to laugh; extremely hard, "Let it happen Erin…and I will save you. I promise. I told you I would always save you."

"You're crazy," her face and hair are drenched in water. The blood from her neck wound is soaking into the collar around her button-up shirt.

"DON'T CALL ME THAT!" He tightens his grip around her neck and pushes her back in.

Adam is in the backseat of Burgess and Roman's police cruiser. He left Erin's car on the side of the road in order to get to her place faster. The sirens allowed them to run lights, stop signs and dodge through cars on the highway. Of all the places to grab dinner, why did she suggest this one? It's a Sunday…he should have predicted that traffic was going to be a bitch.

"Voight doesn't know I left Erin alone." Adam feels forced to admit.

Roman shakes his head glumly, "You're a dead man."

"How was I supposed to know that they would let Tucker go? Erin suggested I get food! She said she was going to be alright!" Ruzek felt forced to defend himself. He didn't leave her alone on purpose. His large hand beats against the leather of the backseat, "I thought she would be fine! She's tough! I didn't leave her on purpose! I wouldn't do that! I wouldn't! You have to believe me! There should have been more officers on her! I'm just one man!"

"Hey," Burgess' voice is soft. She's driving, but she's occasionally glancing up in the rear view mirror to look at him, "Everything is going to be fine. No one is blaming you. You had no way of knowing. Voight will see that."

"Are we talking about the same Hank Voight?" Roman is being realistic. Voight isn't your average man; he's protective and he's not above crossing the line if it was in honor of someone he loves.

"You need to speed up!" Ruzek ignores Roman's response. It's not the time. He has to get to Erin. She was his responsibility. She was under his protection.

"She's fine Adam."

"I'll feel better once I have my own eyes on her," Adam's texting tone rings through. He's nervous as he reaches for his phone to read it. The moment his eyes scan the message, he visibly relaxes, "Tucker is at Jay's apartment. They're going to get him."

Burgess turns the sirens off, "See, I told you she was safe."

"Let's go back and get her car," Adam leans back in his seat, his hands running down his face. He's relieved. This almost ended really badly and once he gets her car and drives back, he's not going to let her out of his sight; someone would have to forcefully pry him away from her. He releases a long and loud sigh of relief, "This stays between us. Even though Tucker is nowhere near her, Voight will be mad if he found out I left her and Erin would be pissed if she knew I left her car on the side of a road."

This is the third time he has dunked her head. She feels her breaths growing smaller and slighter with each dunk. She can't die like this. This isn't how her life is supposed to be. On her mother's death bed, she promised her that she'll be successful, fall in love, grow old and happy and look after her dad. If she gives up, she would have fell through on her promise. She had to fight.

Erin feels him pulling her head out of the water. The water is in her ears and eyes, but she overlooks it. Her good arm was held behind her back, but Tucker overlooked her opposite arm; it hurt to move it due to the slice in the side of her neck. He saw it as her weakness. If she moved it to try and hurt him, she'll end up hurting herself.

The arm dropped and she used her fingers to gather the small glass shards surrounding them on the watery floor. She scoops up as many as she can. She has to hurry before he dunks her again. Tucker's lips are against her ear and he's telling her something, but she isn't listening. She's focusing on the task. This has to work, if it doesn't, then she may have to face the fact that Tucker is going to win. She feels him take a firmer grip of the back of her neck. Lindsay desperately wants to squirm, but she has to put everything she has into this. She has to escape.

On the count of three; one, she closes her hand around the glass; two, she shuts her eyes, ignoring the pain of the glass cutting her fingers; three, he starts pushing her head down and she throws it as hard as she can. It gives her enough time. He feels forced to release her neck as he stumbles back. Tucker isn't in pain. He's just shocked. Erin jumps to her feet -ignoring the large pain shooting through her neck and arm- she pushes him back and watches as his body slams into the cabinet behind him.

Erin is limping. Her body is cold, her neck is bleeding, her hands are cut and her face is swelling. She's in so much pain, but she's a fighter. She'll get through this. Tucker jumps to his feet; swipes the butcher's knife up and begins to follow in the direction of her departing figure. She's running pass boxes. She's running pass the camera. She sees the front door; busted open and hanging off a hinge. It's such a close sight. Without stopping, she continues her limp towards it. Erin wants to scream, but if she uses anymore energy, she knows she won't make it to the door. She knows he'll catch up, but she tries anyway, "Help." Her voice betrays her. It comes out as a low murmur, "Help me ple-" A hand grips the back of her head. It's him. He caught her.

The door is a few feet away. It's within distance. She could have made it. She should have tried harder. She was so close. Her hands are flying in all sorts of directions. She's trying to claw at him, hit him, and maybe even elbow him if he would loosen his grip. He's furious. A few scraps on his face are bleeding from the pieces of glass, but he doesn't feel them. He has a high tolerance for pain. Erin lifts her foot high enough, and stomps down onto his boot. It inflicts pain upon her first. It's an instant shock that rings through her body. She's wearing flats. He's wearing boots. She can feel everything she's stepping on. However, she's feeling, she still fights back. It's a part of her; fighting back; it'll always be in her blood.

Lindsay reaches her hands out, searching for something to grab. She needs just a few more seconds. Her eyes fall upon her burglar alarm as he pulls her further and further away from the door. He can't take her back there again. If he does, she knows she won't make it out. He'll finish her. Her luck has run its course. His hand covers her mouth –her cries and pleas were getting too loud- and it was his mistake. She opens her mouth and bites down until her teeth tear into his skin. When she escaped last time, it was luck; it was partly due to the thrill for him, he wasn't ready to finish this. Now, he's ready for it all to be over. He's had enough games. It's time for him to move on.

Erin continues to bite down; she starts to taste blood, but he immediately pulls his hand away. He's still human. It did hurt. She can see it in his eye. Erin doesn't waste another second; she knows she won't make it out of the apartment and to Eric before Tucker can catch her. She knows he'll grab her and drag her back. Erin stumbles forward, and types in her alarm code. A loud blare erupts through her apartment…the neighbors should hear. She knows it isn't the greatest neighborhood, but they'll be heartless if they just blatantly ignore it.

Tucker circles his arm around her waist, "Turn it off." His lips are beside her ear, his hand pressing down upon her neck wound. She's crying; squirming. She doesn't want to cry out because the alarm will mask it and she doesn't want to give Tucker the satisfaction. This isn't fair. She did nothing wrong. He pushes her towards the alarm. Erin mentally smiles as she types the key in. Her bloodied thumb pressed down upon the cancel button and she sighs in relief. A silent alarm is being sent to the police. She fights the grin pulling at her lips; this will all be over soon. Her shoulders relax. She just needed to stall long enough for the police to get here.

"Is that a smile I detect?" He's menacing. Blood is dropping from his hand. She bit him good.

Erin shakes her head, "No." She can't afford to be smug or cocky.

"I know you Erin," he reaches forward, takes a hold of her neck, "I know when you're happy."

Her hands clasp around his wrist. His hold tightens. She's trying to breathe. She needs- her thoughts are interrupted as her vision fades to black. The second Tucker slammed her head into the wall; it was too much of a hard impact for her consciousness to fight.

Voight and the team meet back up in the front of the building, they're all empty handed, no Tucker in sight. He presses his phone against his ear and the moment Mouse answers, he's shouting, "We searched the outside of this building! We searched the inside of this building top to bottom…he's not here Mouse!"

"It says your standing right in front of him."

"Call his phone," Hank ordered, silencing his team around him.

"Voight," Olinsky interrupts as a ringing phone fills the outside silence, "I just-" He's silenced by Hank pushing past him to grab Tucker's discarded phone, "Hank, the alarm company just called," he looks between Voight and Halstead, "someone triggered Erin's silent alarm."

Within seconds, orders are shouted. Halstead is instructed to call Atwater while Olinsky starts trying to reach Ruzek. They still haven't spoken to the detective since he and Erin left earlier. They're running to Voight's truck; it's bigger, louder and faster. They should get to her apartment quick.

"Atwater says they took a shortcut," Jay is filling in his boss; shouting loudly over the blaring sirens, "but they had no signal. Valerie's mother told them that Tucker snaps when he's reminded of his father. Guys, Dawson thinks what we did is going to send him over the edge again!"

"He was already over the edge."

Olinsky looks to Hank, "Drive faster."

The sirens are blaring through the night. Voight's dark truck is swerving through cars on the roadway and he hears through dispatch that the highway is backed up. It's good to know. He can avoid the highway so he's not stuck in traffic. Usually the highway got him to her place quicker, but due to the accident, it'll take longer than the other route.

Ruzek's phone is ringing. He's in the car with Burgess as Roman drives Erin's car, following behind them. He glances down at the screen. He won't answer until he's with Erin.

"You should answer that," Kim whispers, nodding towards his ringing cell.

"I'm not with Erin yet."

"We're like five minutes away now," Burgess reminds him, as they slowly approach the exit, "You'll be with her in a few…and remember she's fine."

He nods and answers. Olinsky places the phone on speaker.

Hank wanted to shout at him; reprimand him for not responding to his earlier messages, but now was not the time. He had better things to worry about.

"Why are there sirens in the back?" Ruzek curiously ask, his fingers drumming against his thigh.

"Tucker gave us the slip," Jay's words freeze Ruzek and Burgess immediately turns on the sirens, "He tricked us. Has he showed up there? Is everything okay? Where's Erin?"

"I'm three minutes away from her apartment."

"Three minutes?" Voight repeats; his voice booming louder than the sirens, "Where the hell did you go? Why did you leave?"

Jay leans forward in his seat, "Ruzek, we gave you one job!"

"Her silent alarm went off," Olinsky cuts the worried father and the angered boyfriend off. He understands Hank is upset and Jay is mad, but now is not the time to reprimand and threaten Adam. They have to make sure Erin is okay first. She's the top priority.

"I'm so sorry sir," Ruzek is in fear. He has screwed up in his career before, but never this bad. His eyes are looking at Burgess, she's avoiding eye contact. She's scared too.

"We're pulling up now sir," Burgess informs the sergeant.

Hank growls, "You left Erin to hook up with Burgess?"

"Are you serious man?" Jay is pissed. He doesn't want anything to do with Ruzek right now.

"No sir! I didn't!"

"We're pulling up now too! We'll talk about this when I get my daughter!" Hank pulls up behind Burgess' cop cruiser, "…and if you care anything about your career; your life, you better hope she hit the silent alarm by accident." Voight hangs up.

The sergeant is outside of his car; pulling his vest over his chest. He watches his team suit up. They didn't know what they would be walking into.

"Sergeant Voight," he hears Eric shout from outside of the building, "Sergeant Voight," he's waving the officers over, "I was just about to start my rounds indoors when I received a call from Chicago PD. They told me officers were on their way to the scene. What's going on?"

"…you failed to do your job, once again." Voight pushes pass the forty year old man, "Stay out of my way."

"Is there something I can do?" Eric feels bad. He's not a police officer, he's a security guard. He doesn't own a gun, he owns a night stick. He thought this job would be easy.

Olinsky grabs his arm, "Make sure available units are on their way and call for an ambulance."

Eric disappears to follow orders. This is just another bad thing that happened on his watch. He can't do this job. He's not cut out for it. He'll be putting in his letter of resignation as soon as he can. The team of detectives and officers are racing up the stairs; some taking two steps at a time. Their weapons are drawn; they're watching and aware of their surroundings. The team arrives at the fourth floor. The door is kicked in; barely hanging on by one hinge, "He's here," Voight whispers to his team, signaling motions with his hand.

Jay and Al have Hank's back. They approach him, weapons held out as they all step into the apartment. One by one they separate. They're in search of Tucker or Lindsay. The team takes in the struggle. There's blood, broken glass, and obvious signs of distress scattered through the apartment. Shouts of clear ring out after everyone separates.

"Sergeant," Halstead rushes out of the bedroom; a look of desperation and fear covered on his face; "she's not here!" There is no sign of Erin or Tucker.


	18. Salvation

Tucker shoves the knife into his belt straps; mindfully being careful not to cut his flesh. He sees her body; unconscious; breathing raggedly. This was her fault. Everything he did was because of her. If she had just listened; if she had behaved; acted kindly; and loved him back, everything would be perfect. He wouldn't need to do what he's going to do. He wouldn't need to hurt her like he did Valerie. She was supposed to be different. She was supposed to be better than his first girlfriend, but she wasn't. She was the same. Valerie set him up and so did Erin. Valerie shunned him, betrayed him and left him alone. Erin did the same. Now, Erin has to suffer the same fate. Valerie is in an undecided state of unconsciousness. She's here, but at the same time she isn't. Death would be too merciful for Erin. He wants her to suffer; suffer like he did.

The 27 year old grabs the packing tape set on top of a closed box, and began duct taping her wrists together. He circled the tape around her wrists once, twice, a third time and then a fourth. He ripped a piece off and covered her mouth; pressing the corners down firmly over her swollen lips. He couldn't afford for her to make a noise. It's one thing to be in the privacy of her apartment, but to move her; he opens himself up for bystanders to see. Tucker knows she did something; she wouldn't have been smug if she didn't. He has to move her quick. He rushes to the window and sees the security guard outside, he hears sirens pulling up; they're getting close. If he's caught, he wants to at least make sure he finished the job.

He couldn't take her outside; they would see and stop him. He can't take her to his apartment; moving her would be too risky. He has to go up. Tucker tosses the tape to the side, and rushes over to her injured body. One arm scoops underneath her legs and the other is under her back; he stands, feeling the knife lightly scratch against his stomach; he has to be more careful. Tucker is holding her; he's not gentle at all because he doesn't care anymore. He rushes out of the room, her head bumping against the door frame in his desperate haste to get out.

Tucker is grateful that she's light. He's taking two stairs at a time. He can hear Hank Voight outside arguing with the security guard; his loud, booming voice vibrates the walls of the apartment as he and his team enters. Tucker approaches the rooftop door; it's locked shut. He drops her. He doesn't set her down gently or cautiously; he just quickly removes his arms and allows her to fall. Tucker goes to the lock, lifts his foot and stomps down upon it. It doesn't work the first time or the second, but by the sixth, the door flies open. The skylight is dim; it's approaching sunset. He quickly scoops her up and carries her up the flight of stairs leading to the cement rooftop.

"Sergeant," Halstead rushes out of the bedroom; a look of desperation and fear covered on his face; "she's not here!"

Hank couldn't believe that. There's no way Tucker could have given them the slip. The silent alarm was triggered not too long ago. He's panicked. He has to think on his feet; quick. Voight lowers his weapon and eyes Adam, "You had one job Ruzek! I asked you to do one thing! That's all! It was not hard! It wasn't a challenge! I asked you to watch the one thing that meant everything to me! And you failed!"

"Sir I-"

"I don't want to hear what you have to say," Voight takes an intimidating step towards the detective, but Olinsky's arm tugs him back, "I don't want to hear excuses or explanations. A part of your job is to follow orders and you can't even do that right! Erin sometimes makes bad decisions. She doesn't think clearly all the time, but I'm always there to help her out! I have her back and I trust my team to have it as well. Regardless of why you left, the simple fact is you did. You left her alone. You left her vulnerable and defenseless."

"We should have put more officers on her," Ruzek defended himself. He already felt bad and Voight's words only made him feel worse.

"Normally my detectives are enough," Olinsky pulls Voight further back. Arguing won't find Erin. Voight's thinking with emotion; he's thinking as a father and not as a sergeant. Hank tears his arm from Al's hold, "If something happens to her, I'll never forgive myself because you're right. I should have put more officers on her; my mistake. I should _never_ have assumed one of my unit's detectives could do this job on their own. The simple job of watching her back was too much for you to handle. Olinsky should have never taken you straight from the academy. You lack experience and common sense…now get out of here."

Eric approaches the door; he's out of breath, leaning against the door frame as his face reddens. He's trying to gather himself as he waves for the detectives' attention, "I found something! I think I found Tucker's car." He leads the way out of the apartment with the detectives hot on his heel. He's outside; police and ambulance sirens growing closer and closer with each passing second. Eric looks both ways, waving for the detectives to follow him as he crosses the street, "Look! Here's some broken glass," he points to the ground then opens the driver's side door, "I also found this," he pulls the laptop onto his lap, "It's a video feed. One screen is black, the camera is probably off, but look at this screen," he points to the only screen that's on and active.

"That's Erin's bedroom," Voight whispered, pulling the laptop off Eric's lap.

Jay's hand slams against the roof of the car, "He's been watching her this whole time!"

"Wait," Ruzek thinks quickly. He has to prove himself. He hates to disappoint Voight; it actually felt like the end of the world. He owed this to Hank and Erin. Voight trusted him and he broke that trust. He has to earn it back. Ruzek earns the looks from the officers and detectives, "his car is still here. It's here…in front of her apartment!"

Roman is confused. He shakes his head, "Okay… What are you saying?"

"Here me out," Adam is desperate. His eyes are wide and he's looking between Roman, Voight and Halstead, "Erin and Tucker are gone, but Tucker's car is still here. When I left," he avoids Hank's glare, "I took Erin's car. He has to be around here somewhere. There's no other place for him to go, especially by foot. We would have seen him."

"Eric! Roman! Olinsky! You three search the outside perimeter!" Voight begins hollering orders, waving for them to go away and follow them, "Burgess, the ambulance and other units should be here any second. Keep them on standby. Update them with what's going on! Atwater and Dawson will be here soon, have them search the neighborhood, just in case he got lucky and managed to smuggle her out of the complex," Kim nods and runs off to follow directions, "You two," he points at Jay and Adam, "you're with me…and Ruzek, you better not screw up!"

Their weapons are drawn, and outside bystanders watch from the sidewalks. Voight wants to say something. He wants to reprimand and scream at them, but it will get him nowhere. Overlooking a crime is just like partaking in it. Even if you don't want to interfere, call the police; let someone know who will actually do something about it. To watch someone get hurt by an unpredicted force makes you just as bad as the force that did it. Ignoring someone's screams because you don't want to get involved; overlooking an attack because you're scared to get hurt; and disregarding the bumps and banging that you know sound suspicious because you prefer to be ignorant to the pain and abuse in the world will only harden you and will turn you into the one thing you fear the most; a heartless coward.

"Sir," they're walking back into the building when Ruzek speaks up once again, "the letter." He's definitely trying to prove himself. He has to make up for what he did. He can't fail. If he fails, then it'll be Erin's life that's lost, his career, his reputation, everything…but most of that he can get back; but there's no way to get a life back. If she's gone, then she's gone.

"The letter?" Jay's trying to focus on finding Erin and Ruzek's revelation. They're taking two stairs at a time as they search each floor.

Voight peers into the third floor, searching the hall, "What letter?"

"…the one he sent to Erin."

"What about it?" Hank questions irritably. They clear the third floor of any suspicious activity. Jay is annoyed, "Just spit it out Ruzek!" He wants him to get to the point. If he thought of something, he needed for him to just say it; whether it's right or wrong, any little thing will help.

"He compared Erin to Valerie…he said that if she wanted to be like her-"

Jay finishes, "She'll end up like her."

The three detectives begin running up the flights of stairs. Hank is hollering into the police radio attached to his shoulder, "We're heading up to the rooftop! Ask Eric is there resident access to the roof?"

"Sometimes the door is locked," Eric hollers into Olinsky's shoulder radio, "but-"

They mute their radios as they run up each flight of stairs. They couldn't afford to tip Tucker off about their signaling approach. Weapons drawn, they see the roof access door kicked open.

"Let's go," Jay mutters, stepping forward, before feeling Hank's arm tug him back.

He's shaking his head, "We have to be smart about this. We're walking in blind. We don't know what weapons he has and what he's doing right now. We need to be smart."

"We need to go up there," Jay argues, keeping his voice low.

The vibrations of their deep, whispering voices spread through the stairwell. They have to be quiet. If they listen closely, they can hear Tucker. He's crying; sobbing loudly actually; pleading with Erin to forgive him. He needs her forgiveness; he deserves it. Everything he's doing is because of her. They can hear Tucker's voice, but they can't hear anything from Erin. She may already be dead. The detectives wouldn't be surprised if he was found talking to a corpse. The young man already lost his mind; pleading with a dead body would only further it.

"We need a plan," Hank's one-handed grip on his weapon tightens.

Jay is ready. His fingers anticipate the moment he can throw cuffs around Tucker's wrists; possibly the moment he can pull the trigger, either he was fine with, "Let's just run in."

"We have to be careful! We only have once chance!" Hank argues, keeping his voice low.

They're loud enough for each other to hear, but low enough so Tucker wouldn't pick up on anything. Tucker on the roof talking was a good sign. It stalled him. They didn't know whether or not Erin was alive, but time was literally of the essence and they needed to strike, "Erin could be up there dying sergeant!" Halstead would never argue with his boss; he may dislike some of the orders, but he did them. Jay never figured he would dispute an order verbally, until today; until Erin's life was in jeopardy.

"Don't you think I know that?" Hank snaps, a stress vein popping out on his forehead, "I want her back; safe! I want that more than anything!"

"So, let's go up there! Let's charge!" Jay finds himself pleading, "Catch him off guard! Let's just go! We have to do something! We can't just stand here!"

At the end of the day, it's Voight's job to make the call and regardless of his personal feelings, he would have to go with it. He knew the older man had Lindsay's best interest in mind, and there was a high possibility that Jay was the one thinking with emotion this time. He just wanted her back. It wasn't too much to ask. He needed to see her; touch her; hold her. Jay needed to know she was safe.

"I'm not arguing with you Halstead!" Voight warned, shoving against the younger detective's shoulder. He holds up a warning finger, "This is my daughter…we do it MY way! Do you understand?"

"She's my-"

"I don't care who she is to you right now. She's my kid. We have to be smart." The worry in Voight's voice was masked by the sternness and confidence in his eyes. It was all an act. He was scared. He needed to separate himself from this mentally. He's her dad, but in this moment, he can't be. He has to be Sergeant Hank Voight, and she needs to be just another civilian…but she's not he finds himself remembering. He tries to push her relation to him to the back of his mind. He tries…so hard, but he can't. She's not just another civilian, or victim…she's his daughter.

Hank already felt horrible for prolonging the inevitable face-off, but this needed to go off perfectly. This isn't a movie; sometimes the bad guy does win; sometimes the good person loses, Voight can't have that. This has to run smoothly, and Halstead arguing with him only makes the situation worse. They need to be on the same page. They can't afford to fight with each other.

"Okay," Jay nods. He sees the calculation in Voight's eyes. He has something up his sleeve, and the sooner he has eyes on Erin, the better, "What do you want to do?"

Erin is conscious. She's murmuring; trying to speak, but the tape is pressed down tightly. Her body is fidgeting; she's pulling her wrists against the duct tape forcing them together. She wants to run. She wants to get away; her legs aren't taped together; it's a possibility that she can make a run for it. The idea is quickly discarded from her mind; he's pacing circles around her, mumbling obscenities to himself; and she had no idea where help was. If she ran, he'll catch her. She has to continue to stall, but it proves to be difficult with her mouth taped closed.

"No," he's beating his fist against the side of his head, "No! No!" He peeks over the ledge of the roof, "NO! The police aren't supposed to be here!" He sees officers swarming the area.

Tucker may have felt like he was losing his mind, but he was smart. He was calculating and everything he did was premeditated. He can't drop her now, she's his only leverage, and he'll get caught. With Valerie, he knocked her unconscious, dragged her up to her rooftop and dropped her without a second thought. He didn't even hesitate. He didn't talk to her. She didn't even know why he did it. Tucker just dropped her and watched her slam into the cement below. Most of the town were either at home or work. No one was on the street. There were no witnesses or anyone to catch him. He felt free. He felt vindicated. She hurt him, it was only right that he hurt her. He had to protect himself from the hurt. And that leads him to today; he approaches Erin, "What should I do?" His hands are pressed against her shoulders; he's cautious of her shoulder wound, "Tell me! I need help! They're going to take me away from you."

Erin can't speak. She's paling with every drop of blood that drips down her arm. She's tired. She fought as hard as her body would allow. She's done everything she could. She hurt him a little, she managed to fight him off temporarily, she hit the silent alarm and she's even fighting through the pain. It would be so much easier to just let go; give up. If no one was coming to save her, why should she punish herself by pushing through the pain? Why prolong the inevitable death that would soon occur? A knife wound is serious; one to the neck even more so; but it's manageable. She could survive it. She just needed a hospital; hopefully she didn't lose too much blood or receive an open wound infection.

"Help me, help you."

Tucker's pleas remind her of Jay. It's what he said to her the day Tucker turned himself in. It reminded her of one of the many reasons she needed to fight. He was one of the main reasons; one of her personal top three. She wasn't just fighting for herself; she's fighting for Jay and her dad too. She's fighting for her dad's unit, especially Ruzek. If she died, he would receive the brunt of her dad's grief. She couldn't let that happen. It wasn't his fault. It wasn't intentional. He had no way of knowing what would happen to her.

"Say something!" He screams into her face.

She would if she could. The tape is on her mouth and her wrists are taped together. He overlooks it. He thinks she's not speaking because she's deliberately ignoring him. Erin groans; she's trying to say something; she wants to speak so badly.

"You won't say anything because you want me to get caught." His eyes are wide and he's examining every facial expression she makes, "You aren't saying anything because it's true. You set me up! And now you want me to go down for this! I won't let that happen," he withdraws the knife from his belt straps.

The second the knife is pulled, the three detectives raid onto the roof. Weapons are drawn; surrounding him as he presses the knife against her throat. The sharp blade lightly scrapes against the lower side of her neck, near her already bleeding stab wound.

"Stay away," His arm is wrapped around her waist and he thrusts his body against hers, "Stay back or I swear I'll slit her neck, right here, in front of all of you!"

"I will shoot you where you stand," Jay gives a warning; his eyes unblinking and his hands are ready to pull the trigger, "Let her go! She needs a hospital!"

Tucker is sweating. His hair is drenched in sweat and his eyes are wide; bulging insanely; "SHUT UP! You don't know what she needs!"

"You're sick. Let us help you."

He shakes his head at Jay's words, "I am NOT sick!" Sweat droplets roll down his face and soak the collar of his shirt, "You're the one that's sick! I am fine! I am okay!" The minor cuts on his face sting with every sweat bead that trickles down; he pulls her body closer to his chest, "I am perfectly fine."

"No you're not Tucker," Jay's stance remains; his finger still brushing over the trigger; ready to shoot the moment the knife gets any closer to her, "…look at what you're doing."

Tucker takes a look down. He sees her paling face. It's chilly outside, yet the two are both sweating. He's hot from adrenaline, and she's hot from the shock her body is possibly going through. Tucker presses a kiss to her cheek, not once taking his eyes off the three men. He doesn't see the problem. She's conscious and breathing…she's perfectly fine, just like him.

"You say you love her," Jay's eyes fall to Erin. He wants to end this. He's positive he can make the shot, but Voight wants him alive; apparently death is too merciful for him. Jay takes a large breath and repeats himself, "You say you love her, but look at what you're doing to her."

"I don't love her anymore!"

"Yes you do," Jay has to sound convincing. He knows Tucker doesn't love her; he never once did. You wouldn't do something like this to someone you love. That isn't love. That's the complete opposite. Voight nods for Jay to lower his weapon. Since Jay's the one speaking, he has to come across as less threatening. Against his better judgment, he sets his weapon down by his feet, "You can't just stop loving someone that quick. If you no longer love her, you wouldn't be hurting this bad. Your heart is broken. We can fix that." His hands are in the air. He's trying to make eye contact with Erin. He needs for her to know that he's going to get her out of here. He's going to protect her. She's going to be fine. He may be weaponless, but he's not against charging towards Tucker if it comes down to it.

The 27 year old looks down at the woman in his arms; his hand takes a tighter hold around the handle of the butcher's knife. She's too weak to fight back. Tucker is holding up most of her weight, "You're telling me what I want to hear." His growling voice rips through the night air.

"No I'm not."

"She broke my heart! She betrayed me! She set me up!" Tucker starts crying, he buries his face into the back of her head; he's trying to muffle his tears, "She lured me to your apartment," he pulls his head away and looks at each detective, "She got me beat up."

"No she didn't."

"Yes she did!"

"No, I did that!" Jay takes a cautionary step closer, and Tucker takes an even larger one back. The back of his legs, brushing against the ledge of the roof; he's close, "I did that on my own," Halstead stops walking; they're too close to the ledge, "She doesn't even have her phone on her. She had no idea what I was planning."

Even if Voight and Ruzek wanted to shoot, they couldn't. Both Tucker and Erin were pressed against the ledge; if one of the detectives shot, the force of the bullet would push him back and he could possibly take her with him. Hank wasn't going to take the chance. He wanted Tucker alive. He wanted Tucker for himself. He has put Erin and his unit through hell, and death would be too light of a punishment.

"You're lying!" Tucker's shaking his head; tears continually protruding through his eyes, "She admitted the truth to me! She did it! You're telling me what you think I want to hear!"

"No I'm not. It's me you want…not her."

"You're just saying that. You're trying to trick me."

Halstead wants to move closer, but he knows the moment he does, Tucker will move further away; even if it's over the ledge. He's already caught. He has nothing else to lose.

"Tucker, just hear me out," Jay's hands are innocently in the air, "I did that," he's talking to the 27 year old, but his eyes are on Erin; he has to make sure she's alright; he's going through with this plan for her, "I hurt you, not her. She's innocent. Look at her," When Tucker peeks down at her, Voight steps closer and nods for Halstead to continue talking, "does she look like she would deliberately hurt you? You love her. You fell in love with her kindness, compassion and her nonjudgmental attitude. She gave you the benefit of the doubt no matter what you did to her," Voight continues to inch closer, Ruzek is guarding him with his weapon still pointed at Tucker, "She's thoughtful. She's nice. She's selfless. You know why she wants to be a lawyer," Halstead is forced to clear his throat the moment he hears his voice break; now is not the time; he closes his eyes, withdraw a deep breath and then lets it out, "You know she's dedicating her career to making change. Deep down, you know that setting you up isn't something Erin would do. You know her better than I do."

Tucker sighs. The last words Jay spoke registered with meaning. It's what he needed to hear. He did know Erin better than him. He's her boyfriend; of course he knows her better, and he's happy that her ex finally realized that.

"I do." Tucker is nodding.

"Yeah, you do."

The 27 year old is still looking at Erin, "She wouldn't do that to me."

"No she wouldn't."

"She loves me." He looks at Jay for validation, "Doesn't she?"

"…of course." It pains him to say the words, but he has to do what it takes to get her out of here. She needs a hospital; fast.

Tucker is looney; mentally he's somewhere else. His eyes smile as he stares down at her. The knife falls to the ground and he turns her to face him. His hands grasp her face, and he's leaning in for a kiss, but the moment his lips brush against the tape, he feels himself yanked away from her. Halstead catches her the moment her legs give out. All connection with her body was lost from Tucker. He feels himself thrown to the ground, his arms roughly pulled behind his back.

"Send up the paramedics," Ruzek calls into the shoulder radio.

Jay is cradling her in his arms, "Help is on the way," he gently peels off the tape, "You're safe. You're going to be fine." He unravels the tape from around her wrists, "Just stay with me okay."

She licks her dry, swollen lips, "Jay-"

"Save your strength," his arms around her are tight, he doesn't want to let go; he personally thinks he can't; "Are you in pain?"

"…no." She feels numb to it.

"I love you," he whispers, his fingers gently caressing against the side of her face. She'll definitely have a long recovery ahead of her, but he'll be there every step of the way.

"Yes."

His brows furrow, he didn't expect that response, "Yes?"

"…to your marriage proposal."

Halstead hugs her as hard as he can without causing her pain. His face is resting in the crook of her neck and his arms are clung to her. He can't let go.

"Jay!" He hears Adam yell, but he doesn't bother looking up, "JAY!"

"WHAT?!" Jay is forced to pull his head away. He holds her in his arms, and looks up to see Ruzek pointing at Hank.

Voight is bent over Tucker beating him –hit after hit- the young guy is taking them. Tucker is content. His eyes are on Jay –who's sitting on the ground- cradling Erin in his arms. He's watching her…not him. Hank's punches aren't a bother. He finds comfort in her presence.

"Can I ride with her to the hospital?" He asks the moment the paramedics arrive.

Hank pulls him to his feet, "No…you and I have to spend some time together."

"Son-in-law and father bonding," Tucker is grinning madly through his bleeding teeth, "I'm looking forward to it, but shouldn't we do that after we make sure Erin's okay? I saved her you know. It's only right that her hero is by her side." He watches the paramedics take her away, Jay following closely behind.

Handcuffs are wrapped and tightened around Tucker's wrists, "You're never going to see her again."

"What?" He's still smiling, as Voight pushes him back into the building. Ruzek following closely behind; holding onto Tucker's opposite arm, "I don't find that joke funny."

"It wasn't a joke. Erin's going to the hospital. Her boyfriend will be with her."

"I'm her boyfriend."

Hank immediately starts laughing; it's hurting Tucker's head, he's beginning to feel the pain of his beating. The adrenaline rush is already starting to wear off. He can feel the cuts, the bruising and bumps forming on his face.

"I need to see a doctor. I need to see Erin."

"You won't be seeing either," Voight shoves him outside of the apartment; "You'll see a doctor when I'm done with you later…and you'll never be seeing Erin again."

"You can't keep us apart."

"You're going to be locked away Tucker," Hank pats his back, allowing Olinsky to take a hold of him, "You're going to be locked away for a long time…and Erin won't visit you. You won't have pictures of her, gifts from her…you'll have nothing."

Tucker smiles, "I'll have my memories. You can't take those away from me."

"When I visit you in the cage later, we'll see," Hank nods, allowing for Al to pull him away.

"I'll always have her heart."

Hank chuckles harshly, "You underestimate me. You underestimate my anger. You underestimate my vengeance. I can hold a grudge for a lifetime."

"Are you going to punish me?" Tucker's mouth is wide in amusement. He finds this funny.

Voight nods, "Yep. You're definitely going to pay for this Tucker."

"You're going to kill me?"

"Death is too nice of a punishment. For you, I bet you would prefer it. For you," Voight walks alongside him and Olinsky, "punishment would be to know that Erin is happy, living her life with her boyfriend and not you. Punishment would be knowing she's moving in with him, she loves him, she'll fall asleep beside him every night and not you. Punishment Tucker is knowing that the woman you love loves another man…that's punishment and I'm going to remind you every day of your life that she's with him, not you. She'll grow old with him, marry him, have his kids, vacation with him…she'll do everything with him that she would never think twice about doing with you. He'll comfort her, and over time she'll eventually forget you; what you look like, what you smell like, what you sound like, but you, you'll never forget. I'll make sure of it. I'll make sure that while you're stuck in a small box in a mental institution that you are reminded of what you can _never_ have. You're crazy, but you'll fall even more out of your mind…and I'll do it until you start begging, pleading with someone to bring her to come see you and the moment you realize she's never going to come is the same moment your heart breaks. That box will be your purgatory. You'll be there for the rest of your life; and you'll eventually forget. Your image of her will go. You'll forget what she looks like, and that is punishment. You'll second guess what her voice sounds like, you'll question the color of her hair, the beauty mark on her face, the dimples in her cheek, and that will drive you even more out of your mind. You're going to go from watching her every day to never seeing her again…you have no idea the toll that will take on your unstable mind. You may have a smug now, but I'll be the one smiling in the end." Hank squeezes the man's shoulder, "I have to go to the hospital," he inhales a sharp breath, "but I am 100% sure that I will see you later. I look forward to seeing you again."

The smug expression on Tucker's face drops. He's breathing hard as he watches Voight walk away. He wants to beg to see Erin; he needs to see her again.

His head is shaking erratically, "Wait! Come back! Please!" He looks up at Olinsky, "You can't let him do this! You can't let him keep her from me! Please! We belong together! She belongs with me…not Jay! We're true love! You can't let her fall in love with someone else! I saved her!"

Tucker's voice is muffled after Olinsky throws him into the back seat of Burgess and Roman's cop cruiser. There's a smug expression on Hank's face as he gets into his truck; Ruzek hopping in the passenger seat. It's quiet. Hank is driving with the sirens on. Ruzek is texting Jay, requesting updates on Erin's condition. The paramedics got her stable in the ambulance. Once she arrived to the hospital, Dr. Choi requested for Type O blood in order to make a quick blood transfusion. She lost a lot, but Jay told them that the doctors were hopeful. That's a good sign.

By the time Hank got to the hospital, there was little word on Erin. Doctors were working on the transfusion and stitching her up. The stab wound didn't get infected so that's a good sign. Hank is pacing the hallway. He needs to stay for Erin. He has to be here for her. Jay is watching him and they make eye contact. The sergeant nods at Halstead; it's a look Jay understands. Hank approves. Hank is thankful. He's happy that Jay's here for her and he approves of the marriage proposal. He's comforted in knowing that Halstead will have her back even if he isn't around.

Hours pass by and surgery takes longer than they expected. She's eventually wheeled into a private room. Her color is slowly coming back to her face. Her neck wound is bandaged. Small doses of morphine are pumping into her frail body. Her hands are covered in gauze and her sprained ankle is wrapped tightly. Her mouth and jaw are swollen and cut, but to the guys in her life she doesn't look any less beautiful.

Ruzek spotted Voight and abruptly stopped, he hesitated; hesitated for a moment before turning around and moving to catch up with him. He wanted to give him space; he felt guilty. He wanted to come in and see Erin, but he didn't know if he would be accepted.

"Where are you going?" Hank stops him the moment he sees Adam try to sneak away.

Ruzek shrugs, "I was just going to head to the precinct…maybe do some paper work."

"You don't want to see her?" Voight offers. It's his way of making peace. A lot happened today and the following months he needs to be focused on Tucker, not his anger for Ruzek. He's willing to drop it _only_ because Tucker's caught and his daughter will be fine.

Adam rushes into the room within seconds. He pulls a chair up to her bedside and he just sits. She's asleep. Jay's holding one hand and Ruzek is holding the other. Voight watches from the doorway. It's over…at least it will be. They have the surveillance cameras he put into her apartment as a major piece of evidence, his laptop has the photos he took and the videos he recorded of Erin. The events of today, including Erin and Eric's testimony will work in court. The struggle in her apartment, the injuries on her body and Tucker's mental breakdown will work; they should hold weight. He won't be able to get away with this one. Three detectives saw him holding a knife up to a woman's throat. It'll work.

"Dad-" Erin's eyes blink open. She barely moves; she adjusts her arm, that's about the only hint at movement.

Hank rushes to her side, "Hey, are you in pain? What's wrong? Do you want more morphine? I can get the doctor. What do you need?"

"…you," she speaks kindly. Her swollen mouth and jaw make it difficult to speak without pain shooting through her face, "I need you, and you," she takes a hold of Ruzek's hand, "and you," she rests her other hand over Jay's, "I needed you guys…and you were there. You came."

"We'll always come," Halstead leans forward and pecks her hand.

Tears are welling up in her eyes, "Is it over?" One drop falls and then another.

"It's over," Ruzek promises, squeezing her hand softly.

"I can go back to my life?"

"You can go back to your life," Voight assures, patting her leg gently.

Her eyes look at Jay, "We can be together without being paranoid about him?"

"Yeah, we sure can."

Erin felt relieved. She couldn't remember the last time she wasn't paranoid. She couldn't remember how her life was before Tucker. He played such a large role in her life the last month that she was looking forward to seeing how her life is without him. She took it for granted. She needs to appreciate it; being safe and being alive.

"Tucker…"

Voight chooses to be the one to speak, "What about him?"

"Where is he?"

"…in the cage," Hank's smiling, which sends shivers through Adam's body. No one wanted to be in the cage when Hank Voight is involved, especially if he's smiling just thinking about it.

"What are you going to do to him?"

Hank leans forward and presses a kiss against her forehead, "You need to focus on resting and getting better. You don't need to worry about anything else."

"If you hurt him, he'll use that against you in court."

Voight doesn't seem too worried. He shakes his head, and smiles, "I'll just use his normal defense…what was it?" His eyes raise as it comes to mind, "it's his word against mine. His face is already pretty beat…a few more bruises won't make a difference."

"If you can hold off for a couple of months, I'll be graduating and then be able to legally represent you," she's joking, and the group of men smile at her insinuation.

"…you know I'm an impatient man."

"For some reason, that smile on your face is telling me that you'll be demanding my legal services down the line."

Voight shrugs, "I'll keep you on standby."

"You protect me and I protect you." Erin reminds.

"Is that your way of saying I can break the law and you'll defend me in court regardless?"

"That's my way of saying I know you, and I know even when Tucker's locked away you won't let it go, you'll do something and you'll possibly get caught and I'll defend you. Dad, I want you to do what you need to do."

"What about justice?" He's curious to hear her response. Voight knows his daughter. This is what she prided herself on when first enrolling into law school. His arms are crossed over his chest, "What about not taking the law into your own hands?"

"Sometimes the law is bent for a reason. Sometimes guilty people go free. Justice won't just fall onto our lap; you have to work for it…and sometimes justice is more than prison, more than punishment…sometimes it's revenge."

Lindsay was always regarded as soft, kind and innocent. She still is, but sometimes you have to conform. A lot of people are the same; they're kind, selfless and understanding, but the moment something like this happens; it hardens them. They become someone else; someone tougher; someone stronger; someone who follows their instincts, whether it's judgmental or not. She's the type of person to look at a bad situation and find something good that came out of it. In this case, it was her strength, her endurance and dedication. If she can get through this, she can get through anything.


	19. Stalked

**Epilogue to Stalker**

 **I'm going to be honest, I was not planning on doing an epilogue at all, but you guys are definitely some persuasive and persistent reviewers. I hope it lived up to what most of you wanted!**

 **Thanks :)**

Time heals all wounds. It's a known saying. It's what she's heard from classmates, teachers, friends and family members. It's something people say when they're not sure how to help you. It's an inaccurate saying. Whoever made that up…lied. Erin understands it as something people say when they want to brush aside trauma in their lives or someone else's life. The truth is, time doesn't heal a damn thing…all it does is pass by. It's what we do with our lives while time is passing that either helps us, heals us or keeps us stuck. Your physical wounds may heal with time, but the emotional scars require action. You have to do something. She wished she didn't. She hoped that acting like nothing happened and withdrawing herself from everyone would make it all disappear…maybe she would forget, maybe it was all a nightmare and it never happened. Unfortunately, her dad and fiancé thought it was an unhealthy way of coping. Acting like nothing happened, refusing to talk about it and withdrawing herself from people who reminded her of the incident only served its purpose temporarily. It was a brief method of dealing with trauma. After the first two weeks since the attack, her family thought it was time for her to try a new way of coping; therapy.

Erin Voight is sitting in the waiting room; awaiting her inevitable Wednesday afternoon appointment with Dr. Charles. It has been three months since the attack; three months since Tucker's arrest; three months since she almost lost her life yet it all felt like it happened days ago. Its January…it was no longer October, yet the memories of what Tucker did constantly played through her mind like it was. Dr. Charles had been helping her as best as he can. Every Wednesday after her last class they meet for an hour session. When therapy alone didn't seem like it was working, Halstead convinced her into attending Monday night support groups for victims of trauma; those helped a lot. It's comforting to know that other people understand what you're going through, but at the same time it's unnerving to know that all of these people –from different walks of life- went through something traumatic that brought them there.

"Ms. Voight," she hears Dr. Charles call her name. It's time. It's time for another appointment to be checked off her list.

The 24 year old rises to her feet, she walks through the threshold and hears him close the door behind her. If you ask him, she has come a long way since her first appointment. If you ask her, she feels like she's stuck in a place; she can't recover from no matter how hard she tries. Lindsay takes her usual seat on the couch, "What are we talking about today?" She's twirling the engagement ring around her finger. It's a nervous habit.

"How about you tell me?"

She hates it when he responds to her questions with questions. Lindsay knows it's his job, but she hated it. She wasn't the professional here, he was, yet she felt like she was doing most of the work. Erin continues to twist the engagement ring around her finger, "We can talk about Tucker," she whispers. It's a first. It's a sign; she's definitely improving.

"We haven't talked about him since our first meeting."

"I know," she nods. She's fully aware. Erin purposely avoided the subject of him.

"…tell me about him. Tell me about his relationship with you."

She stops twisting the engagement ring in order to look up and give the psychologist eye contact, "Tucker was jealous…and very overprotective, but in the beginning, I think I thought it was kind of sweet. I didn't take it serious. I should have, but I didn't. I kind of overlooked it all…I just wrote it off to him not knowing because he's never had friends before."

Dr. Charles occasionally looks away to jot down notes into his notepad. She hated it. She felt like a test subject that he was watching and keeping tabs on. Erin sighs; -it's a part of his job- she has to mentally remind herself, "I came to realize that Tucker was a stranger. I didn't know him as much as I thought I did. He's like Jekyll and Hyde…one second he's sweet and kind and the next he's manipulative and murderous." She starts twisting the silver band around her finger, "Can we talk about something else?"

"You're in control of this conversation Erin." He finds himself reminding her, "We can talk about anything you want."

"I have distrust for people."

"…that's normal," he sets his pen down to look up at her.

"I feel bad about it though," Erin stands up, -she starts pacing- it's another nervous habit, "I can't help it. I want to trust people, but the last time I did…you know what happened."

"All people are not like Tucker."

She stops pacing, "I know," she's holding the bottom of each elbow, "I know, but I don't have a way of distinguishing between the Tuckers of the world."

"It's a safety mechanism; the distrust in people is there to protect you."

"The people it's protecting me from aren't threats!"

"You thought Tucker wasn't a threat…"

Erin starts pacing again, "Touché," she nods.

Her hair is lightly cascaded around her shoulders; bouncing around with each passing step. She's on edge. She hates talking about her feelings and being perceived as vulnerable and weak. That's not who she is. She isn't weak. A weak person doesn't fight back. Her eyes well with tears; she's not weak, she's far from it. She uses the back of her thumbs to wipe the tears from her eyes, "Tell me more about your distrust," Dr. Charles is forced to pry for more information.

"Some guy I never met before," Lindsay didn't hesitate with the story; she didn't beat around the bush; she wanted to be honest so she can get and feel better, "he needed a tutor for one of our difficult courses. He's a classmate. I've seen him like once before and the professor even recommended me as a tutor, but when the guy approached me after class I freaked and left!"

"Is that a normal reaction for you?"

She shrugs, "I don't know. I usually avoid people."

"What happened afterwards?"

"…the guy sent me an email apologizing and so did the professor." Erin looks down at the couch and retakes her seat, "It's not their fault Dr. Charles. It's mine."

"It's not your fault."

"It is," she nods, assuredly.

"No, it's not Erin."

"Dr. Charles, they had nothing to do with what happened with Tucker."

"I'm well aware," he lifts his pen again and starts writing, "I do agree that it isn't their fault, but it's not your fault either."

"My dad was suspended for a month because of me."

"No," the psychologist continues to write, "It is not because of you. Hank Voight is an adult. No one controls what he does…and he's back at work now."

"I brought a lunatic into my life; his life; my fiancé's life!" Her hand finds the engagement band around her finger and she begins to twist it mindlessly, "I allowed Tucker in. I put everyone I care about at risk!"

"…they can take care of themselves."

She's shaking her head, "That's not the point Dr. Charles."

Erin leans back –her back resting against the comfortable dark green couch pillows- she meets his eyes. The pen is down on his pad and he's watching her; observing every facial and body expression she does. She's waiting for him to speak. She knows a follow up question is coming.

"Okay," he gives her a slow head nod, "tell me what is the point Erin?"

"The point is," she asserts, intertwining her fingers, "if it wasn't for me, Tucker wouldn't have been in our lives. He hurt me, and he definitely was not against hurting them. They put cases on hold to focus on me and my issues…my dad got into trouble for that. I worried him, Jay, Kim…and the whole freaking squad. I got Adam suspended for a few weeks…and to top it all off, they could have died. Tucker was not above killing them. Dr. Charles, I have thought about that every single day for the past three months. And I can't seem to get pass the guilt I feel because regardless of what my dad pays you to say, I know it's my fault. I'm guilty."

"Your dad doesn't pay me to tell you what you want to hear."

"Everything I say, you'll just report back to him."

"No, I won't."

"…why should I believe you? Everyone tells my dad about everything I say or do. What makes you any different?"

"You can trust me."

Dr. Charles needed for her to understand the confidentiality in their sessions. He's not reporting back to Hank Voight every time he learns something new. He's not receiving a written script on what to say in response to how she's feeling. He's giving her professional advice based off his own experience and qualified education.

"I don't care what you tell my dad," her hand rubs against her neck –she feels the large welt against her skin- "I just want you to help me get better…help me feel better," her voice is pleading with his. She continuously rubs against the healed knife wound; it's a large welt, "My dad doesn't pay you to hear about my daddy issues."

"Want to get back to Tucker?"

"I want to get back to me."

The psychologist gives the young woman a small smile. He's making progress and with each session more progression is made…she just hasn't realized it yet. Dr. Charles walks around his desk –pen and notepad long forgotten- he leans against the corner and crosses his arms, "How about you tell me about you post-Tucker?"

"What do you mean?"

"Tucker is locked away," Dr. Charles pushes himself from his leant stance against the desk, "He'll be locked away for a long time for what he did to you. How are you coping with that?"

"I'm scared."

"How come? He's locked away."

"There are mistakes made in the criminal justice system every day. There are appeals and plea bargains and…I just," she bites her lip –another nervous habit- she exhales a large breath of air, "I don't want him getting out. He's obsessed with me Dr. Charles. He'll never stop, and if he gets out, he's going to come back."

"He won't get out Erin."

"You don't know that," she's shaking her head, "You can't assure me of that. You're not psychic. You don't know what the future holds."

Dr. Charles approaches her, "You have to have faith in the system," he takes a seat next to her, "I know you always hear about the failures of the justice system, but there are successes as well."

His words hold great weight with her. He's right. With every bad there is good and the same vice versa. It's a part of the reason she's in law school. With only a few months left until she graduates, she knows that she wouldn't immerse herself into such a blurred field if it didn't have good in it. The system won't fail her; she has to believe in it, otherwise, what's the alternative?

Erin's hands rub against her knees. She's willing to believe in it. She has faith in it. It won't fail her, but knowing that, doesn't help her. It doesn't take away the fear and the anxiety that comes with trauma. It won't help her sleep at night. Knowing he's locked away for good, does nothing to her psyche. He traumatized her. He scarred her –both emotionally and physically- he hurt her.

"It's hard for me to sleep at night," she admits –it's hard for her to confess her weaknesses, but she manages- she wants to improve, "I have nightmares…bad ones sometimes." She yanks at the fabric of her shirt, revealing the large welted scar on her neck, "this stupid, ugly and hideous reminder will never go away! When I close my eyes, I see his face in my nightmares! When I open them, I see what he did to me, here" she points towards her neck, "and here," she extends her fingers –small scar marks on her fingertips from the snake bites and glass, "Tell me Dr. Charles…you're the professional here, how do you get pass something when there are reminders about it _everywhere_?"

"You take it one day at a time."

"Time heals wounds," she repeats the words she always hears, "Is that right?"

He nods, "that's right. You need time."

"So basically," she scrunches her face up in annoyance –she's tired of that damn saying- she needs more than that, "what you're telling me Dr. Charles is I should just sit back, relax and let time pass? If I do that, I'll no longer feel sad, uneasy, anxious, and scared? I'll be able to sleep at night. I'll trust people. I won't have to sleep with the hall light on. My worries and anxieties will go away. It'll all disappear, right? How much time has to go pass? A few days? Weeks? Months? Years? Is it really true that time itself is all it takes for trauma to go away?"

"You can't run from your trauma."

"…but I can sit back and let time handle it?" She's peeved.

"No, time is only a part of the equation; it's not the entire equation." Their hour is approaching its end. He stands up after her, "You're already in a support group and therapy, and you're doing what you need to do. Time is the only other variable that needs to pass as you continue therapy and support group meetings. You have to find peace with what happened. You have to forgive yourself. It's the only way you'll be able to get back to you. That's what you wanted, remember? You want to get back to you. You want to sleep at night. You want to trust people. In order to do all of that, you'll have to first trust yourself and your instincts. You have to forgive yourself Erin. No one blames you. You are your biggest enemy right now." He assuredly pats her shoulder, "You are making tremendous progress. When we first started sessions, you barely spoke. You said a few sentences here and there about Tucker, but that was it. Now…you're more forthcoming. Even though you don't see it, I do. I'll see you next Wednesday."

Lindsay doesn't respond. She usually doesn't. Their sessions always end with Dr. Charles having the last word. She didn't mind. She was just relieved that their time was up. As she exited the hospital, -tossing a simple wave of the hand over her shoulder at Will wishing her a goodbye- she scans the outside for her dad. A quick honk of the horn sends her body tensing and her shoulders rising as she turns to see her father, parked in his car to the side; hazard lights blinking as he's parked illegally.

"Sorry kid," he saw her jump in fright, "I'm really sorry." He's apologizing profusely as she hops into the passenger seat, "I'm so sorry."

"Dad, it's okay."

"I just-"

She buckles her seat belt, "That had nothing to do with Tucker. I would have jumped regardless. It caught me off guard." The 24 year old pats his shoulder, "…not your fault. Where are we heading? Are you taking me home or to the district?"

"…the district," Voight pulls out of the hospital, "So, your appointments with Dr. Charles…are they helping in any way?"

"Yeah," she rolls down her window and stares outside.

Voight stops the car at a red light, "Are you hungry?"

"No," her head shakes to emphasize her answer.

"What do you want to talk about?"

"…nothing."

"Erin-"

"Yes," she side-eyes her dad.

"Can you respond to me using more than one word please?"

"Okay, fine…"

Hank sighs solemnly –at least he got another word out of her- he exhales dramatically. He side-eyes his daughter, "I saw Tucker today."

"I don't want to hear about him," her voice remains low as she stares forward, "I don't want to talk about him. I don't want to be reminded of him."

Voight respects that. She's been through a traumatic experience that no one should have to go through. A few months wouldn't rid her of the memories, the nightmares and the conversation. It's unrealistic. As her dad, he wants her to move pass it, but he understands that it isn't automatic. It takes work. It takes initiative. It'll take more than a day, a week, a month; it's a process that does not have an end date. It's entirely up to the person. Every case is different.

The ride falls silent; neither having an interest in sparking a conversation. Hank watched his daughter; she's mindlessly twisting the ring on her finger while biting upon her bottom lip. She's strong. She's the strongest person he knows; if anyone can get pass this, it's Erin. And it's not something she'll have to overcome on her own; she has him, Jay, the entire team, and classmates. His daughter was built thinking she had to face her problems and overcome them on her own; she thought she would be perceived as weak and pathetic. Lindsay would rather mentally and physically struggle than admit defeat and ask for help; which is part of the reason the Tucker incident lasted so long. If Voight knew about it from the beginning, he's positive he would have done something –possibly illegal- to keep Tucker away from his daughter.

"All I will say before I drop the subject completely is that he is definitely paying for what he did to you," Voight's raspy voice interrupts the silence in the car.

Erin merely looks at her dad and nods her head. It's comforting to know that Tucker remains locked away. It's reassuring to know that he's being punished for his actions. Call her heartless, cruel or coldblooded for not having or showing the slightest sympathy for him. After what he's done to her, there's no part of her that could muster up the ability to give him the benefit of the doubt. He was going to hurt her; kill her. You can call her -whatever you like-, but she deserves to feel every ounce of hatred and dislike towards the guy who stalked her.

"You'll be fine kid," her father pats her thigh.

She gives him a side smile, "How do you know?" It's the only question she could think of in response. She's curious to know his opinion. He's never lied to her before; he's never wrong. Voight has a way of telling the truth and speaking from the heart, at least with her. She really wanted to know his thoughts and how he could sound so positive that she'll be alright.

"…because you're strong and you're my kid. I know you. I know you'll be okay."

"Dr. Charles is helping me," Erin reverts back to their previous conversation; the one she so unkindly brushed off. Her dad didn't do anything to her. It wasn't fair of her to treat him as if he did. He's just trying to help; he's paying for her therapy and he's inquiring about her appointments; he's her father, he gets the right.

"That's good."

"I enjoy our sessions," she continues to give him more insight into her appointments.

He pats her thigh again, "That's great Erin." It's a reassuring gesture.

Lindsay has always appreciated the comfort. She may not verbalize or show it in an obvious manner, but she truly appreciates those who take the time out of their lives to reassure her.

"I'm talking about a lot of things I wanted to ignore," her entire body turns to face him. Her shoulders are relaxed, and in that moment, she knows that she's comfortable letting her dad in. Erin has a way of getting mad at everyone who tells her father her business; but she knows it's out of concern, it's out of worry. Voight wants to know, as someone who will always have her best interests at heart. He just wants in on her life; the good and the bad. He's her dad. He won't turn her away or shun her at the first sign of an imperfection.

"I'm proud of you."

She casually rolls her eyes; she's smirking, "You always say that."

"…because it's true," With his eyes remaining on the road, and one hand on the wheel, he uses the opposite hand to ruffle her hair.

"You're my dad." She playfully swats his hand away.

"That has nothing to do with this," He turns the car onto the street of the precinct; his parking spot empty up ahead, "An unfortunate trauma happened to you and you're working to overcome it. I'm proud of that. I'm proud of you."

"I got you suspended."

"I'm back at work."

"You were still suspended in the first place."

He shakes his head, "that wasn't your fault."

"…depends on who you ask," she shrugs her shoulders.

Hank's eyes are focused on the road as he parallel parks his truck. He takes a short glance in his peripheral to see her thoughtlessly twisting her engagement ring again. She feels guilty. It isn't her fault, but she blames herself. Once the car is completely parked in the parking spot, he shuts off the engine, unbuckles his seat belt and then turns to face her, "You didn't force me to focus on your case. I chose to do that."

"…because I'm your kid."

"And I don't regret it. I would do it all over again."

Her eyes meet his, "But your job-"

"…comes after you," he interrupts and finishes her statement.

"Dad-"

Voight reaches over the armrest and unbuckles her seat belt, "If I worked your case by the books, I wouldn't have been working it at all. I would have had to give it to another officer or detective and all they would do is tell you to document everything he does so they can build a case against him…by doing that who knows how this all would have turned out? It sucks Erin. When officers tell a victim who is scared for her life to document what the perpetrator is doing so they can build a case against him, they're basically saying, go back out there, continue to be victimized and when he hurts you too much we'll get involved. I refuse to let that happen to you. You wouldn't have had protection. You wouldn't have had officers consistently checking up on you. I'm glad I didn't go by the books. I don't regret a single thing."

"I love you."

He opens his car door, "I love you too."

The father-daughter duo stepped out of the truck –him locking the door after Erin shuts hers- and then proceeded to follow her up the stairs of the precinct. Hank nods a thank you to a rookie cop who held the door open for him and his daughter. It had been a few weeks since Erin was last at the district. If she came to the precinct after her appointments, she usually waited outside because Jay would be getting off at the exact time her sessions ended. She wasn't up for the questions, the curious eyes and the constant stares. Everyone in the precinct knew about Tucker. It was kind of hard to keep that quiet with it being public knowledge and all. The two Voights stepped through the last door, and was met with a stretching smile across Sergeant Platt's face as she circled around the front desk, "We missed that smile around here," It was a bit awkward, but Platt went for the hug anyway. Lindsay was her girl.

"I'm glad to bring it back."

"…hopefully it's permanent," Platt nudged the young woman's arm.

Erin nods, "I hope so too."

Erin hears the gate's buzz, and in her peripheral, she sees her dad swing the gate door open. He's nodding for her to follow. They're heading upstairs. Jay is supposed to be taking her home. Lindsay shuts the gate tightly until she hears the click signaling it being locked.

"I'm not up for this paperwork tonight," Voight grumbles to himself, "…getting suspended pushed me behind on paperwork." He takes one step at a time, "Just a heads up. The entire team is here…and most of them have been asking about you. If it gets to be too much, let me know."

"Dad, I'm not just getting out of the hospital. I'm fine."

"I know," he sends her a smirk, "but they've been asking about you since your visits went from frequent to nonexistent." They reach the bullpen of the Intelligence offices.

"Looking good Erin," she hears Dawson's compliment from across the bullpen.

It manages to pull a chuckle from her, "Did my dad pay you to say that?"

"There's that smile…" Olinsky approached her, and gave her the simplest hug, "good to see it again." She appreciated the small gesture of the hug; it was nothing tight and big, it was modest yet uplifting. It barely lasted a second, but it was a hug she'll remember.

"Dr. Charles must really be helping," Atwater's comment is made from behind his desk.

"Yeah…he is."

"I'm glad," Burgess exits the breakroom.

Erin is smiling –dimples pressed into her cheeks- her teeth wide in happiness and amusement. She absolutely loved these guys. She wasn't one for attention, she never liked all eyes on her, but she appreciated the worry and the assurances from people who truly cared.

"Oh, we get a dimpled smile," Mouse is grinning at her as he hands her dad a thick file, "She's really looking good."

"Okay, seriously…did my dad pay you all?"

Mouse laughs, walking back to his seat, "No."

"How are you though?" Kim approaches her best friend, gently pulling on Erin's hand.

"I've been better."

"What about now?"

"I'm fine," Lindsay gives her an assuring nod.

"That's good to hear."

Lindsay turns to see Ruzek exit the breakroom. His eyes fail to meet hers, and the moment she opens her mouth to call him out on it, Roman nudges his shoulder against her side, "How many more sessions do you have left?"

"…as many as I think I need."

"How man do you think you'll need?" It's Atwater's turn to pry. It was a part of their jobs to ask questions. They couldn't just turn it on and off whenever they pleased.

"…definitely a lot more." Erin was over the prying questions. She had no new updates and she's pretty sure her father has kept them in the loop about everything. Lindsay made her way through the team and approached Jay –sitting at his desk- patiently waiting for her to indicate that she's ready to leave. He's tired and bored…all of his paperwork is done and he's ready for some sleep, "You ready to get out of here?"

He nods, grabs his jacket from across his chair, "I thought you would never ask."

"Kid," Voight calls out –his arms open- as he walks towards her, "Were you seriously going to leave without giving me a hug?"

"It's not like you won't see me again."

"How about we do lunch on Friday?" He hugs his daughter tightly –wanting to freeze time- and maybe rewind it a bit to enjoy the moments he has with her, "We can get your favorite."

"I would actually love to-"

"…but," he senses it coming.

"I'm going to call a classmate and schedule tutoring with him on that day." Erin shrugs, and gives Jay a side smile, "It's the only free day I have during the week," her fiancé's arm is thrown around her shoulders and he begins leading her towards the stairs. The couple sends a quick wave of the hand towards their friends as they head out of Intelligence.

Halstead was proud. He knew about the classmate that reached out to Erin for tutoring and he was fully aware of her reaction to it. She showed him the apology email from the classmate and her professor; he gave her advice and he promised to help her as much as he possibly could, but they both knew that this was something that was going to take time. She brought it to her therapist's attention and he knew that when she was ready, she would reach out.

"It's just us now," he whispers in her ear as they step outside of the precinct.

She nods, "Yeah."

"Is therapy really helping?" Jay wanted an answer without the prying ears and questioning glances of the team. It's easier for her to be honest when it's just the two of them.

She shrugs, "It has potential."

"I'm glad you're going to continue with it."

"Yeah, I owe it to myself."

Jay reaches into his leather jacket and pulls out his car keys, "And once you're up to it, we can discuss wedding dates and details."

"I'm not the girly-girl type," the couple pulls apart in order to retreat into their respective seats, "I never dreamt of a big, fairytale wedding. I honestly never thought I would get married."

"Now that you are," they both buckle their seat belts, "What are you picturing?"

The 24 year old silently thinks. She honestly never put forth much thought into every miniscule detail of her future wedding day. She was never that type of person. As Jay starts driving, she envisions her wedding, "Something small, yeah," she likes the idea, "I want a small wedding with my dad, the team, Platt, your brother and Natalie."

"Agreed," Jay wasn't up for a big wedding either. The two were alike in that way.

"Location," she presses him for details this time.

"I don't see you as the church wedding type."

Erin couldn't help but chuckle, "You know me so well." Her hand extends and they intertwine their fingers. The sun is setting and his eyes remain on the road as he continues, "…maybe your dad's backyard or the courthouse."

"We'll keep it open for discussion. I'm not exactly sure yet either."

"What season?" the conversation continues.

"Summer…I want a summer wedding."

There wasn't much thought put into that answer. It was the one thing she was sure about. She wanted a summer wedding with the sun shining bright, a warm wind blowing through her hair and the birds and Mother Nature breezing through the air.

"How soon?"

Erin thinks, bites her lip as the answer occurs, "…not this year, maybe next year."

"June?"

"…the 20th?"

"Your parents' anniversary?" Jay questions. He wasn't sure, but the date seemed familiar.

"Is that weird?"

"No," he shakes his head.

"Pathetic?"

"…of course not," Halstead assures her with the light squeeze of the hand.

"Best man?"

Jay knew this answer immediately, "Mouse."

"Your brother won't be jealous?"

"Nah," Jay shakes his head, turning the steering wheel to take the next highway exit, "he'll be a groomsman along with Adam. What about you? Maid of honor?"

"Do you have to ask? Kim of course."

"Briana won't be jealous?" She was one of Erin's closest school friends.

"Nah," she repeats his earlier response, "she'll be a bridesmaid along with Nadia and Annie."

"You reached out to them?"

"They reached out to me when they found out I was in the hospital."

Erin had completely forgotten to mention it to Jay. She had every intention but it must have slipped from her mind. It was a brief conversation. They brought her flowers and get well cards, spoke a few words and then left, promising to keep in contact. When she started attending Monday night support groups, they were in attendance. Annie for her relationship with Charlie and Nadia for an attack she endured two years ago. It was comforting to have people she knew personally there –listening to their stories- and having them listen to hers. They grew closer.

"So…kids," he's parking his truck in his reserved spot, "do you want any?" He purposefully changed the conversation and shifted it back to their relationship.

"I'm not against the idea…in the distant future though," she unbuckles her seat belt.

The two step out into the chilled Chicago night. The gated apartment complex was well lit and he waited for her to step up onto the sidewalk before taking a hold of her hand, "How many?"

She smiles –dimples piercing through- eyes sparkling in the night, "Hmm…three."

"Three," Jay thinks to himself –imagining the small feet of three little ones running around their future house, giggling and tackling he and Erin with hugs and kisses- he liked the idea, "okay."

The couple step into the building –walking through the semi-crowded lobby- approaching the elevator, "What about our honeymoon," Erin is curious to know as they step into the elevator, "Where did you have in mind?"

"…definitely not Indiana," he joked.

The elevator doors closed, "You got that right."

"What about Wisconsin?"

"What about it?" Of all the places she expected him to name, a random state was not one of them. She expected a sunny state, a beach, or a different country. She didn't expect Wisconsin.

"You remember I told you about the cabin my family has up there?"

She saw the excitement in his eyes –the thrill and desire, "Wisconsin it is…" She's sure she'll have fun. If the fun doesn't come by the amenities at the cabin, then it'll come by her soon-to-be husband. A honeymoon isn't about the destination; it's about getting away as newlyweds and enjoying each other's company without the added distractions of life. Life is on pause.

Jay unlocked their apartment door, "That didn't take much convincing…"

"I honestly don't care where we go…as long as I'm with you."

The couple arrives home –he's fully aware their normal routine is about to start- he closes the door behind Erin after she enters, and he locks it. He stands behind her; she's quietly taking in the living room of their apartment. This is what they do every single day. Jay and Erin come home; he locks the front door, and she stands in the living room, silently listening and looking around. He waits for her to finish and the moment she's done, she sets the alarm. Halstead would do it, but she feels better doing it herself. It assures her that it's on.

"Can you make sure the doors are closed and locked?" She's referring to the front door and the balcony door.

Jay does as requested. Usually, she likes to do it all. It's progress that she's allowing him to, especially since she's become accustomed to making sure the apartment is on lockdown. No one is inside, and no one outside could get in. Both doors are shut and locked. She watched him do it, but seeing it for herself didn't ease her running mind. She twisted the knob of the front door; it's locked. She tugged against the balcony door; it's locked too. That was the assurance she needed.

"Let's go to bed," Halstead extended his hand towards her. After taking a hold of his offered palm, she followed him to their bedroom.

The routine wasn't over. She still had a few more things to do. Walking pass the hallway light switch, she hits it. Even though their bedroom door is closed and locked when they sleep, she leaves the light on in the hallway. It provides light so she can see if there is a shadow beneath the door crack. If there is movement, a person, or a shadow on the other side of the door, she'll notice it. They'll see it.

The couple's hands separate and they silently change into their pajamas. It's been a long day. She's a work in progress and she'll eventually move on, but for right now, she needs to do this. She has to; it's the only way she can cope and live a normal life in her home. Jay pulls the covers back and crawls into bed, "After your classes tomorrow, want to do something fun?"

"Like what," she's at the blinds; looking through them. It's hard to see. The dark sky leaves no room for light. It still soothes her though; knowing no one is outside. It's hard to see the ground, -they're floors up- but she was floors up at her last place and Tucker still managed to watch her.

"I'll try to get off early and maybe we can do dinner and a movie, or go paintballing or maybe tour a museum…something different."

Lindsay draws back from the window, "That sounds like fun…yeah, let's do something fun."

Erin silently changes from her clothes and into her pajamas. She leaves the silence in the apartment –part of her expecting to hear something- a part of her expects to hear something fall, footsteps walking or some kind of crash indicating someone was here. She's paranoid…and who would blame her? She's a work in progress, and with time and commitment, she'll eventually move on. Lindsay crawls into bed, lies against her fiancé and relaxes as his arm circles her waist. The simple gesture is enough. She releases a loud exhale that she didn't even realize she was holding in. Her eyes flickered closed as her head relaxed against the pillow.

Only three months had passed since the attack. It'll take more time than that. There's no deadline or expiration date… It'll take time…as much time as needed. With action, time heals all wounds, and it will eventually heal hers. Her nightly routine will get better, her paranoia will lessen and her visits to support meetings and therapy appointments will eventually dwindle down the more she starts to positively cope with what happened. With time, she'll be able to talk about it without getting worked up or shutting completely down, she'll be able to sleep with the hall light off, and she'll be able to start trusting her instincts and people again.

Time heals all wounds. It's a known saying. It's an known unfinished saying. It should be time heals all wounds when actions are done to heal them. If you do something, it'll change something. If you don't do anything, nothing will change. Time isn't the healer. It's not some unforeseeable force that will make everything okay again. The act of time simply passing by does not heal pain –it may lessen the hurt of it- but the pain will always be there. Time will just cover up the pain like a Band-Aid –making the victim feel it's truly gone- but it's always there. Erin has tried that. In the weeks she attempted to ignore the trauma and the memories, she allowed for time to step in and heal her as the quote stated, however nothing ever occurred. Nothing changed. Now, she's taking the initiative to change it. If you want something done right, you have to do it yourself. If you want something to change, you have to partake in the process. This isn't an overnight fix, and as she circles her arms around Jay, she knows that with time, action and his support, she'll get through it all; one day at a time, she has this all under control.

 **The end.**


End file.
